Shloka 67
Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey
म्रियमाणस्य किं कृत्यं किं दानं वासवानुज / वाहमृत्योरन्तराले को विधिर्दहनस्य च
mriyamāṇasya kiṃ kṛtyaṃ kiṃ dānaṃ vāsavānuja / vāhamṛtyorantarāle ko vidhirdahanasya ca
โอ้น้องแห่งวาสวะ (อินทรา)! สำหรับผู้กำลังสิ้นใจควรทำสิ่งใด และควรถวายทานอะไร? อีกทั้งในช่วงระหว่างความตายกับไฟฌาปนกิจ พิธีเผาศพที่ถูกต้องมีหลักอย่างไร?
Garuḍa (Vinātā-putra) addressing Lord Viṣṇu
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Ritual Type: Ekoddishta
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Antya-kāla (while dying) and the interval between death and cremation.
Concept: At the time of dying and immediately after death, specific duties and dānas are prescribed; cremation has defined rules in the death-to-fire interval.
Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra at the threshold: right action supports orderly transition; compassion expressed as dharmic responsibility.
Application: Prepare end-of-life support: mantra/holy remembrance, appropriate charity, and prompt coordination of cremation rites per family tradition and local śāstric norms.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa): sections on antyeṣṭi, dāna at death, and śava-dahana procedures (contextual parallels)
FAQs
This verse frames dāna as a key, time-sensitive duty alongside other end-of-life rites—implying that properly directed giving is considered spiritually consequential during the dying process.
By asking about the interval between death and cremation, the verse points to the Garuda Purana’s concern with the immediate post-death transition—when correct rites help order the departed’s passage into the next stage (preta-related period) rather than leaving it unmanaged.
Plan end-of-life religious duties in advance: ensure guidance from qualified tradition-bearers for appropriate dāna and timely, proper funeral procedures, so the family can act calmly and correctly during the critical transition.