Shloka 46

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

विन्यस्य तानि वृन्तानि अङ्गेष्वेषु पृथक्पृथक् / चत्वारिंशच्छिरोदेशे ग्रीवायां दश विन्यसेत्

Transliteration

vinyasya tāni vṛntāni aṅgeṣveṣu pṛthakpṛthak / catvāriṃśacchirodeśe grīvāyāṃ daśa vinyaset

Translation

พึงวางก้านเหล่านั้นลงบนอวัยวะแต่ละส่วนแยกกัน โดยจัดสี่สิบก้านไว้ที่บริเวณศีรษะ และวางสิบก้านไว้ที่ลำคอ

Word by Word

• vinyasya: Having placed/arranged
• vinyasya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: as (धातु) with vi+ni
• Form: Lyap Pratyaya (Absolutive)

• tāni: Those
• tāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• vṛntāni: Stalks
• vṛntāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛnta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• aṅgeṣu: On the limbs/body parts
• aṅgeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• eṣu: On these
• eṣu: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• pṛthakpṛthak: Separately/One by one
• pṛthakpṛthak: Kriya Visheshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (Repetitive)

• catvāriṃśat: Forty
• catvāriṃśat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śirodeśe: On the head region
• śirodeśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śirodeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• grīvāyām: On the neck
• grīvāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grīvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• daśa: Ten
• daśa: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• vinyaset: Should place
• vinyaset: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु) with vi+ni
• Form: Vidhilin Lakara (Potential), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During asthi-sañcaya/puttalaka-related vinyāsa stage immediately following the prior setup.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Limb-specific vinyāsa: distribute stalks separately on limbs; 40 at the head region and 10 at the neck.

Vedantic Theme: Order (ṛta) expressed through measured ritual mapping; disciplined attention as a purifier of mind amid mortality.

Application: Follow procedural details in saṃskāras; cultivate mindful precision in solemn duties rather than haste.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.40.45-46 (asthi-sañcaya counts and limb-wise distribution)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of specifying numbers (forty and ten) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse preserves a precise ritual sequence: specific counts are to be placed at the head-region and neck, indicating standardized placement rather than arbitrary performance.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s description of post-death rites?

In the Preta Kanda, Vishnu gives procedural guidance for rites connected with the departed; this verse is a technical instruction on arranging particular ritual components on specific body regions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It highlights that funeral and preta-related observances are meant to be done carefully and methodically—encouraging families to follow authentic guidance (with qualified priests) rather than improvising.