Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 111

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

Devanagari script

न तेषां कारयेद्दाहं सूतकं नोदकक्रियाम् / न विधानं मृताद्यञ्च न कुर्या दौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

na teṣāṃ kārayeddāhaṃ sūtakaṃ nodakakriyām / na vidhānaṃ mṛtādyañca na kuryā daurdhvadaihikam

Translation

Para sa gayong mga tao, hindi dapat isaayos ang pagsusunog ng bangkay, ni sundin ang sūtaka (panahong marumi), ni isagawa ang mga ritwal ng tubig. Hindi rin dapat gawin ang mga itinakdang seremonya mula sa kamatayan, at hindi dapat isagawa ang aurdhva-dehika—ang mga ritwal matapos ang libing para sa yumao.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय — negation

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कारयेत्: should cause (to be done)
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd person, Singular; णिजन्त (causative)

• दाहम्: cremation/burning
• दाहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सूतकम्: impurity period (sūtaka)
• सूतकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय — negation

• उदक-क्रियाम्: water-rite (libations etc.)
• उदक-क्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (उदकस्य क्रिया)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय — negation

• विधानम्: prescribed procedure
• विधानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मृत-आदि: death-related rites etc.
• मृत-आदि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (मृतं आदिः यस्य) — death etc. (funeral matters)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात — conjunction

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय — negation

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• दौर्ध्व-दैहिकम्: post-death (dauḥrdhva-daehika) rites
• दौर्ध्व-दैहिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (ऊर्ध्वं देहं प्रति/देहानन्तरं दैहिकम्) — post-funeral rite

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately after death and in the post-funeral sequence (udaka-kriyā; aurdhva-dehika period).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain categories of death/persons are excluded from standard cremation, aśauca observance, water-rites, and aurdhva-dehika—indicating strict ritual boundaries.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as social-ritual order governing transitions; distinction between ultimate self and ritual eligibility at empirical level.

Application: Follow tradition-specific guidance for exceptional deaths; consult competent authorities (ācārya/purohita) to avoid harmful or invalid rites.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.110 (durmarana and consequences); Garuda Purana śrāddha/antyeṣṭi sections describing aurdhva-dehika and udaka-kriyā (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of prohibiting certain death rites in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that dharma is contextual: for certain categories of individuals (described in the surrounding verses), standard funeral rites like cremation, sūtaka, water offerings, and aurdhva-dehika ceremonies are not to be performed, indicating ritual ineligibility based on prescribed rules.

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

By stating that aurdhva-dehika rites should not be done for “such persons,” the verse implies that the usual ritual supports given to the departed (through water rites and post-funeral offerings) are withheld, reflecting a distinct karmic/ritual status that affects how the dead are ritually related to the living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tradition with informed guidance: when questions arise about eligibility for funeral rites, consult competent dharma authorities (family priest/ācārya) rather than applying one uniform procedure to every case.