Shloka 4

Devanagari script

लोहं लवणकार्पासं तिलपात्रं च यैर्नरैः / दत्तं तेनैव तृप्यन्ति यमस्य पुरचारिणः

Transliteration

lohaṃ lavaṇakārpāsaṃ tilapātraṃ ca yairnaraiḥ / dattaṃ tenaiva tṛpyanti yamasya puracāriṇaḥ

Translation

ผู้ใดถวายเหล็ก เกลือ ฝ้าย และภาชนะที่เต็มด้วยงา ด้วยทานนั้นเอง เหล่าบริวารของพระยมผู้เที่ยวไปในนครยมย่อมอิ่มเอมพอใจ

Word by Word

• लोहम्: iron
• लोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc., Sg.)

• लवणकार्पासम्: salt and cotton
• लवणकार्पासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण + कार्पास (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (Neuter, Acc., Sg.; 'salt and cotton')

• तिलपात्रम्: a sesame vessel/bowl
• तिलपात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + पात्र (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Neuter, Acc., Sg.; 'vessel of sesame')

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction; 'and')

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instr., Pl.; relative pronoun)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instr., Pl.)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.; 'given')

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instr., Sg.; 'by that/thereby')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle; emphasis 'indeed/only')

• तृप्यन्ति: are satisfied
• तृप्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Present, Ātmanepada, 3rd pl.)

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Masculine, Gen., Sg.)

• पुरचारिणः: the city-attendants (of Yama)
• पुरचारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Masculine, Nom., Pl.; 'those who move about in the city')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific donations (iron, salt, cotton, sesame vessel) produce tangible supportive effects in Yama’s domain by satisfying its attendants.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as concrete practice shaping subtle outcomes; karma operates through specific intentional acts (saṅkalpa-yukta dāna).

Application: Perform purposeful charity: donate essentials (clothing, salt/food staples, durable goods) and sesame-related offerings with reverence, especially in memory of the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna lists connected to preta-yātrā and relief from yamadūtas (thematic within Pretakalpa)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yama’s attendants (puracāriṇaḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of giving iron, salt, cotton, and a sesame vessel in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that such specific dānas directly satisfy Yama’s attendants, implying smoother passage and fewer obstacles for the departed in Yama’s domain.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in Preta Kanda?

In the Garuda Purana’s after-death narrative, the departed encounters Yama’s officials and attendants; prescribed gifts are presented as ritual supports that pacify these agents of Yama, reducing hardship on the way.

Practical application of this teaching today?

During śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related observances, one can perform charity aligned with tradition—offering essentials like sesame (tila), cloth (cotton), and other stipulated items—while cultivating generosity and responsibility toward ancestors and social welfare.