Shloka 32
क्षीरैः प्रक्षाल्य तस्यास्थि स्वाग्निना मन्त्रतो दहेत् / प्रवासे तु मृते भूयः कृत्वा कुशमयं दहेत्
kṣīraiḥ prakṣālya tasyāsthi svāgninā mantrato dahet / pravāse tu mṛte bhūyaḥ kṛtvā kuśamayaṃ dahet
اس کے استخوان کو دودھ سے دھو کر، اپنی مقدّس آگ میں منتر کے جپ کے ساتھ دوبارہ سَنسکار سمیت جلایا جائے۔ اور اگر وہ پردیس میں مرا ہو تو کُش گھاس کا پُتلا بنا کر پھر سے رسم کے مطابق دَہن کیا جائے۔
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Beneficiary: Preta (recently deceased)
Timing: Post-cremation corrective rite; especially when death occurred away (pravāsa) and rites must be completed upon return/recovery.
Concept: Antyeṣṭi must be ritually completed; mantra and consecrated fire restore order when circumstances are irregular (death in travel).
Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier of saṃskāra and subtle destiny; ritual as support for the jīva’s onward course.
Application: If bones are recovered, wash with milk and perform re-cremation with mantras in the household sacred fire; if death occurred away, perform symbolic cremation using a kuśa effigy to complete rites.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: household ritual space / liminal travel-context
Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta/Antyeṣṭi sections on re-cremation, asthi-saṃskāra, and travel-death contingencies (pravāsa-mṛtyu)
FAQs
This verse presents milk-washing as a purificatory step before performing a mantra-guided re-cremation, emphasizing ritual cleanliness and correct completion of antyeṣṭi-related duties.
It prescribes a substitute rite: creating a kuśa-grass effigy and burning it again, allowing the family to ritually complete cremation obligations even when the body or proper circumstances are unavailable.
It highlights completing essential last rites with sincerity and scriptural procedure—especially when circumstances are difficult—by using accepted symbolic methods under guidance of tradition.