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Shloka 31

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गावो दीयन्ते केनहेतुना / कथं हि म्रियते जन्तुर्मृतो वै कुत्र गच्छति

Transliteration

saptadhānyaṃ kṣitirgāvo dīyante kenahetunā / kathaṃ hi mriyate janturmṛto vai kutra gacchati

Translation

เหตุใดจึงถวายทานเป็นธัญพืชเจ็ดอย่าง แผ่นดิน และโค? สัตว์โลกตายได้อย่างไร และเมื่อตายแล้วแท้จริงไป ณ ที่ใด?

Word by Word
सप्तधान्यम्seven grains (set of seven cereals)
सप्तधान्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (seven kinds of grain)
क्षितिःearth, ground
क्षितिः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
गावःcows
गावः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
दीयन्तेare given
दीयन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: 'are given')
केनby what? / by whom?
केन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम
हेतुनाby reason/cause
हेतुना:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootहेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
कथम्how?
कथम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
हिindeed, for
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic/causal particle)
म्रियतेdies
म्रियते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootमृ (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
जन्तुःa living being
जन्तुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मृतःdead
मृतः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत (कृदन्त; √मृ)
Formभूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used adjectivally
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic particle)
कुत्रwhere?
कुत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुत्र (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of place)
गच्छतिgoes
गच्छति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-associated dāna context (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna as karma shaping post-death gati; inquiry into the mechanism of death and the jīva’s destination.

Vedantic Theme: Jīva’s continuity beyond bodily death; karma as determinant of gati; implicit distinction of sthūla-śarīra vs. ongoing principle.

Application: Perform dāna with right intention; contemplate mortality to prioritize dharma and spiritual preparation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual discourse setting (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: discussions on death, subtle body, and gati following these questions (2.1.32 onward); Garuda Purana: dāna-mahātmyas (sapta-dhānya, go-dāna, bhū-dāna) in related sections (general)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse frames these gifts as purposeful death-related dānas, meant to aid the departed and address after-death welfare rather than being mere social charity.

It introduces the core inquiry—how death occurs and where the being goes—setting up the Garuda–Vishnu teaching narrative that later describes the post-death journey and its supports (rites and dāna).

Treat end-of-life charity and ancestral rites as intentional acts tied to dharma—give ethically (food/grain support, cow-care, or equivalent charity) and reflect on mortality to live with accountability.

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