Shloka 12

Vṛṣotsarga as Prerequisite for Śrāddha: Eligibility, Timing, Purification, and the Urgency of Dharma

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा दानान्यशेषाणि सुतीर्थे म्रियते यदि / ब्रह्मचारी शुचिर्भूत्वा न स यातीह दुर्गतिम्

Transliteration

dattvā dānānyaśeṣāṇi sutīrthe mriyate yadi / brahmacārī śucirbhūtvā na sa yātīha durgatim

Translation

اگر کوئی شخص ہر قسم کے دان بغیر کچھ باقی رکھے دے کر، نہایت مقدّس تیرتھ میں وفات پائے، تو وہ برہمچاری اور پاک ہو کر پرلوک میں بدگتی کو نہیں جاتا۔

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/क्त्वान्त), ‘having given’

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• अशेषाणि: all, without remainder
• अशेषाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying दानानि)

• सु-तीर्थे: at a holy ford/place of pilgrimage
• सु-तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘सुन्दरं/पुण्यं तीर्थम्’)

• म्रियते: dies
• म्रियते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Hetu/Condition (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate student (brahmacārin)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ब्रह्मचारी)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/क्त्वान्त), ‘having become’

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• दुर्गतिम्: bad state, misfortune
• दुर्गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puṇya from comprehensive dāna and tīrtha-maraṇa, coupled with self-restraint (brahmacarya/śauca), prevents durgati.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra-śuddhi: accumulated sattva through charity and restraint supports a favorable gati; karma as preparatory to higher realization.

Application: Cultivate generosity and disciplined living; undertake pilgrimages with ethical conduct; prepare for death with purity of mind and restraint rather than mere ritualism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.13.13 (renunciant discipline leading to Brahman); Garuda Purana teachings on dāna and tīrtha-mahātmyas (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of dying at a tīrtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that death at an excellent sacred place, when supported by complete charity and purity, helps prevent a fall into durgati (an evil post-death destination).

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

It links one’s post-death destination to accumulated merit: generous giving, self-restraint (brahmacarya), and purity (śauca) shape a favorable course rather than a painful or degraded state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice regular charity, cultivate self-control and cleanliness, and approach pilgrimages and end-of-life rites with sincerity—treating moral discipline as the foundation of auspicious outcomes.