Shloka 167

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

Devanagari script

अग्निदाहं ततः कुर्यात्सूतकञ्च दिनत्रयम् / दशाहं गर्तपिणाडञ्च कर्तव्यं प्रेतपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

agnidāhaṃ tataḥ kuryātsūtakañca dinatrayam / daśāhaṃ gartapiṇāḍañca kartavyaṃ pretapūrvakam

Translation

అనంతరం అగ్నిదాహ సంస్కారం చేయాలి; మూడు రోజులు సూతకం ఆచరించాలి. తరువాత పది రోజులు గర్తంలో పిండదానం ప్రేతహితార్థంగా ముందుగా చేయవలెను.

Word by Word

• अग्निदाहम्: cremation/burning by fire
• अग्निदाहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अग्नेः दाहः)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूतकम्: impurity period (sūtaka)
• सूतकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• दिनत्रयम्: for three days
• दिनत्रयम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि दिनानि)

• दशाहम्: for ten days
• दशाहम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश अहानि)

• गर्तपिणाडम्: pit-offering (piṇḍa in a pit)
• गर्तपिणाडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गर्तस्य पिण्डः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done/should be performed
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicative: 'to be done')

• प्रेतपूर्वकम्: with the rite for the departed done first
• प्रेतपूर्वकम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतं पूर्वं कृत्वा/प्रेतपूर्वकं)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: First ten days after death (daśāha); sūtaka for three days as stated

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Antyeṣṭi and post-death impurity/offerings are obligatory acts that support the departed’s passage and restore social-ritual order.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier and stabilizer within saṃsāra; compassion expressed as duty (kartavya) toward the departed.

Application: Perform cremation; observe sūtaka for three days; offer garta-piṇḍas for ten days with preta as primary beneficiary, following local śrauta/smārta procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cremation-ground (śmaśāna) implied; garta (pit) for piṇḍa-offering

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: ten-day preta rites and piṇḍa sequence (daśāha); Garuda Purana: sūtaka/āśauca rules around death and purification

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of agnidāha (cremation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats cremation as the immediate required rite after death, marking the formal beginning of preta-related observances and the sequence of post-death duties.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By emphasizing “pretapūrvakam,” it indicates that the departed is regarded as a preta in the interim period and that specific offerings (piṇḍas) are directed to support and ritually address that post-death state during the ten-day cycle.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It underscores orderly performance of last rites—cremation, a defined mourning/impurity observance, and dedicated offerings for the departed—encouraging disciplined, dharmic care for family obligations surrounding death.