Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

गन्धकं धातवो देयो हरितालं मनः शिला / रेतः स्थाने पारदञ्च पुरीषे पित्तलं तथा

Transliteration

gandhakaṃ dhātavo deyo haritālaṃ manaḥ śilā / retaḥ sthāne pāradañca purīṣe pittalaṃ tathā

Translation

ในตำแหน่งธาตุทั้งหลายให้กำหนดกำมะถัน พร้อมทั้งหริตาละและมนัศศิลา ในตำแหน่งน้ำกามให้วางปรอท และในตำแหน่งอุจจาระให้วางทองเหลืองด้วย

Word by Word

• गन्धकम्: sulphur
• गन्धकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (देयः इत्यनेन)

• धातवः: metals/minerals
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देयः: is to be given / should be offered
• देयः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण, विधेय/कर्तव्यार्थक; देय (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘(सः) देयः’ = should be given

• हरितालम्: orpiment (haritāla)
• हरितालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• मनः: mind / manaḥ (as first member)
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद-रूपेणापि (मनःशिला)

• शिला: realgar (manaḥ-śilā)
• शिला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मनःशिला इति खनिजनाम

• रेतः: of semen
• रेतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (रेतसः) अर्थे; ‘रेतः-स्थाने’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे

• स्थाने: in the place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पारदम्: mercury
• पारदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुरीषे: in feces
• पुरीषे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पित्तलम्: brass (pittala)
• पित्तलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चय-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dravya-sāmyatā: mapping bodily substances to mineral/metal analogues; ritual uses the language of material correspondences to honor embodiment’s constituents.

Vedantic Theme: The body is a compound of elements and transformations; recognizing its materiality supports vairāgya (dispassion).

Application: Handle such substances with caution and purity; treat correspondences as symbolic/ritual unless a qualified tradition prescribes otherwise.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.40.49-50 (other substitutions); Garuda Purana sections that touch on dravya classifications and ritual materials (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of element–substance mapping in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents technical correspondences between bodily constituents and mineral/metal substances, used in the text’s description of the preta’s constitution and ritual-physiological symbolism.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By detailing the constituents associated with the post-death (preta) framework, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader narrative that the departed experiences a structured, element-based subtle embodiment during the journey to Yama’s realm.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages careful, tradition-informed performance of Garuda Purana death rites and a reflective understanding that the body is a composite—supporting detachment, ethical living, and reverence in ancestral observances.