Shloka 14

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

न्यग्रोधवृक्षमासाद्य शीतच्छायं मनोहरम् / महाविटपिनं हृद्यं पक्षिसङ्घातनादितम्

Transliteration

nyagrodhavṛkṣamāsādya śītacchāyaṃ manoharam / mahāviṭapinaṃ hṛdyaṃ pakṣisaṅghātanāditam

Translation

เขาไปถึงต้นไทร—ร่มเงาเย็นชื่นใจน่ารื่นรมย์ กิ่งก้านแผ่กว้างเป็นมหาพฤกษา ชวนให้ปีติ และก้องด้วยเสียงฝูงนกมากมาย।

Word by Word

• न्यग्रोध: banyan (nyagrodha)
• न्यग्रोध: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यग्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• वृक्षम्: tree
• वृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न्यग्रोधवृक्षम्: a banyan tree
• न्यग्रोधवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यग्रोध + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (न्यग्रोधः वृक्षः)

• आसाद्य: having reached/approached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√सद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• शीत: cool
• शीत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• छायम्: shade
• छायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेष्य (मनोरहम्)

• शीतच्छायम्: having cool shade
• शीतच्छायम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत + छाया (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शीताः छाया यस्य)

• मनोहरम्: charming
• मनोहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (वृक्षम्)

• महā: great/large
• महā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• विटपिन्: branchy tree (having many branches)
• विटपिन्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विटपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेष्य (वृक्षम्)

• महाविटपिनम्: very branchy/large-branched
• महाविटपिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + विटपिन् (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् विटपिन्)

• हृद्यम्: pleasing to the heart
• हृद्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (वृक्षम्)

• पक्षि: bird
• पक्षि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन्/पक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• सङ्घात: flock/assembly
• सङ्घात: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• नादितम्: resounding
• नादितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √नद् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (वृक्षम्)

• पक्षिसङ्घातनादितम्: made resonant by flocks of birds
• पक्षिसङ्घातनादितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्षि + सङ्घात + नादित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (पक्षिसङ्घातेन नादितम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seeking shade and stillness symbolizes turning inward; quiet surroundings support equanimity.

Vedantic Theme: Shama (tranquility) and pratyahara-like withdrawal aided by sattvic environment.

Application: Create or seek calm spaces (nature, silence) to steady attention before making decisions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest grove / great tree refuge

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.27.15 (king sits beneath the great tree)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the significance of the banyan tree (nyagrodha) in this Garuda Purana verse?

In this verse it functions as a relief-point on the preta’s route—an image of temporary comfort (cool shade, pleasant sound) amid the difficult post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s explanation of the soul’s journey after death?

It presents a concrete waypoint in the narrative landscape of the preta’s travel, showing that the journey is depicted with stages—some harsh and some momentarily soothing—before reaching Yama’s domain and the results of karma unfold.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages compassionate support for the departed through prescribed rites (e.g., śrāddha, piṇḍa-dāna) and reminds the living to cultivate dharma, since the after-death path is portrayed as shaped by one’s karmic condition.