Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

एषु षट्सु विधिः प्रोक्तः श्राद्धेषु मलिनेषु ते / षडेव मरणस्थाने द्वारि चात्वरिके तथा

Transliteration

eṣu ṣaṭsu vidhiḥ proktaḥ śrāddheṣu malineṣu te / ṣaḍeva maraṇasthāne dvāri cātvarike tathā

Translation

สำหรับทั้งหกกรณีนี้ ได้สอนไว้ถึงวิธีปฏิบัติ—คือในศราทธะที่เป็นมลทิน/ไม่บริสุทธิ์หรือผิดแบบแผน และหกกรณีเดียวกันนี้ใช้ได้ที่สถานที่ตาย ที่หน้าประตู และที่สี่แยกด้วย

Word by Word

• एषु: in these
• एषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• षट्सु: in the six
• षट्सु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• विधिः: procedure; rule
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तः: is stated; is prescribed
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति अध्याहार्य

• श्राद्धेषु: in śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• मलिनेषु: impure; defiled
• मलिनेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; श्राद्धेषु इति विशेषण

• ते: your; of you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (enclitic)

• षट्: six
• षट्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (नपुंसक-प्रयोगः ‘षट्’ अव्ययवत्)

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

• मरणस्थाने: at the place of death
• मरणस्थाने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (मरणस्य स्थानम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• चात्वरिके: at the crossroads/square
• चात्वरिके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चात्वरिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During malina/irregular śrāddha contexts and when rites are performed at death-place/doorway/crossroads.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual prescriptions adapt to impurity (mala) and liminal contexts; the same vidhi applies across specified situations to maintain dharmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Karma (ritual action) as a regulator of saṃskāra and social-cosmic harmony; niyama in transitional states.

Application: Apply the taught sixfold procedure specifically in ‘malina’ (irregular/impure) śrāddhas and also when rites occur at death-place, doorway, or crossroads.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: liminal domestic/public thresholds

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha sections enumerating ‘ṣaṭ’ cases and their vidhi; 2.4.49–2.4.51 elaborating the same locations and their presiding beings and the departed’s designations

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of “malina śrāddha” (impure/irregular śrāddha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that the text recognizes specific situations where śrāddha is considered “malina” (ritually compromised/irregular) and prescribes an authorized procedure (vidhi) for those cases rather than abandoning the rite.

Why does the verse mention the place of death, the doorway, and the crossroads?

It points to liminal or transitional locations—death-site, threshold, and public junction—where special rule-sets for rites apply; the same six-fold framework is said to be relevant in these contexts.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow a tradition-backed procedure for śrāddha even when circumstances are imperfect (travel, constraints, or disruption), and consult a qualified priest/textual tradition to apply the correct “vidhi” rather than skipping ancestral duties.