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Shloka 165

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

गोमूत्रं गोमयं क्षीरं दधि सर्पिः कुशोदकम् / जग्ध्वा परे ऽह्न्युपवसेत्कृच्छ्रं सान्तपनञ्चरन्

Transliteration

gomūtraṃ gomayaṃ kṣīraṃ dadhi sarpiḥ kuśodakam / jagdhvā pare 'hnyupavasetkṛcchraṃ sāntapanañcaran

Translation

గోమూత్రం, గోమయం, పాలు, పెరుగు, నెయ్యి, కుశజలం—ఇవి సేవించి మరుసటి రోజు ఉపవాసం చేయాలి; ఇలా ‘సాంతపన’ కృచ్ఛ్రాన్ని ఆచరించాలి।

Word by Word
गोमूत्रम्cow-urine
गोमूत्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गोः मूत्रम्)
गोमयम्cow-dung
गोमयम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गोः मयम्)
क्षीरम्milk
क्षीरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
दधिcurd
दधि:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
सर्पिःghee
सर्पिः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सर्पिः = acc. sg. neuter)
कुशोदकम्kuśa-water (water with kuśa grass)
कुशोदकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकुश (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कुशैः/कुशसम्बद्धम् उदकम्)
जग्ध्वाhaving eaten
जग्ध्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष् (धातु) / जग्ध् (धातुरूप) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having eaten’
परेon the next
परे:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘परे अह्नि’ इति लोकेशन
अह्निday
अह्नि:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन
उपवसेत्should fast
उपवसेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप-वास् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
कृच्छ्रम्the kṛcchra (penance)
कृच्छ्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
सान्तपनम्the sāntapana (penance)
सान्तपनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसान्तपन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
चरन्practising/performing
चरन्:
Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootचर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sāntapana kṛcchra: consume cow-urine, cow-dung, milk, curd, ghee, and kuśa-sanctified water; fast the next day.

Vedantic Theme: External śuddhi as symbol for internal purification; humility and surrender of taste-preference to dharma.

Application: If prescribed traditionally, follow with ritual cleanliness and intention; understand the symbolic purificatory logic and avoid casual or unsafe imitation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.162-164 (kṛcchra variants)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse presents Sāntapana as a defined prāyaścitta: consuming specific purifying cow-products and kuśa-water, followed by a fast, to counter ritual impurity and certain sins through disciplined austerity.

In the Preta Kanda context, purification and expiation are prescribed alongside afterlife teachings; the verse gives a concrete, rule-based method (kṛcchra) for reducing the burden of wrongdoing through regulated conduct and fasting.

The core takeaway is disciplined self-restraint and intentional purification—observing ethical correction, fasting or dietary restraint under guidance, and adopting sincere repentance rather than repeating harmful actions.

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