Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

प्राचीनावीतिनः सर्वे विशेयुर्मौनिनो जलम् / अपनः शोशुचदघमनेन पितृदिङ्मुखाः

Transliteration

prācīnāvītinaḥ sarve viśeyurmaunino jalam / apanaḥ śośucadaghamanena pitṛdiṅmukhāḥ

Translation

అందరూ ప్రాచీనావీతంగా యజ్ఞోపవీతం ధరించి, మౌనం పాటిస్తూ జలంలో ప్రవేశించి, పితృదిశ వైపు ముఖం పెట్టాలి. ఈ క్రియతో పాపజన్య అపవిత్రత ఎండిపోయి శుద్ధమవుతుంది.

Word by Word

• प्राचीनावीतिनः: wearing the thread in the prācīna position
• प्राचीनावीतिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier of सर्वे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राचीन-आवीतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: प्राचीनं आवीतिः यस्य (wearing the sacred thread in the prācīna manner); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विशेयुः: should enter
• विशेयुः: Karta (Predicate verb of सर्वे)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपदम्

• मौनिनः: observing silence
• मौनिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier of सर्वे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपनः: Apāna (vital air)
• अपनः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); प्राणवायुविशेषः (a vital air)

• शोशुचत्: purified/cleansed
• शोशुचत्: Karta (Predicate verb of अपनः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• अघम्: sin
• अघम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• पितृदिङ्मुखाः: facing the ancestral (southern) direction
• पितृदिङ्मुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of सर्वे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-दिक्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: पितॄणां दिक् (याम्या) मुखं येषाम् (facing the direction of the Pitṛs); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately before/within funeral and śrāddha preliminaries (purificatory bath).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual purity is restored through prescribed conduct: prācīnāvīta, mauna, and directional alignment to Pitṛs.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as a discipline that steadies mind and community order; śauca as outer support for inner composure.

Application: During śrāddha/funeral bathing, follow silence and correct thread orientation; treat purification as mindful practice, not mere washing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.74: rules for bathing without splashing; Garuda Purana 2.4.75: tila-jala offering and Yama direction

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of prācīnāvīta in the Garuda Purana’s death-ritual context?

This verse highlights prācīnāvīta as the correct sacred-thread orientation for Pitṛ-related rites, marking the act as explicitly ancestral and aligned with prescribed purification discipline.

How does this verse explain purification after death-related rites?

It prescribes a specific method—entering water in silence while facing the Pitṛ-direction—stating that this disciplined observance cleanses and dries up impurity and sin (agha/apanaḥ).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

During śrāddha/ancestral observances, maintain reverence: follow the correct ritual orientation (prācīnāvīta), practice restraint (mauna), and treat purification acts as mindful, not merely mechanical.