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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 28

The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds

Devanagari script

अन्तरं देहि भो पान्थ बहुला चेद्रुचिस्तव / तेन तत्र प्रदत्ता गौस्तया नावा प्रसर्पति / मनुजानां हितं दानमन्ते वैतरणी स्मृता

Transliteration

antaraṃ dehi bho pāntha bahulā cedrucistava / tena tatra pradattā gaustayā nāvā prasarpati / manujānāṃ hitaṃ dānamante vaitaraṇī smṛtā

Translation

‘اے راہی، ذرا جگہ دے—اگر تیرے دل میں بہُلا گائے کی کچھ بھی قدر ہے۔’ وہاں دان کی گئی اس گائے کے پُنّیہ سے اسی کے سہارے کشتی آگے بڑھتی ہے؛ انسانوں کے ہِت کے لیے آخری وقت میں کیا گیا وہ دان ‘ویتَرَنی’ کے نام سے یاد رکھا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word
अन्तरम्space, interval
अन्तरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन (singular)
देहिgive
देहि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√दा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular)
भोO!
भो:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभो (अव्यय)
Formसम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)
पान्थtraveller
पान्थ:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootपान्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular)
बहुलाgreat, abundant
बहुला:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular); रुचि-शब्दस्य विशेषणम्
चेत्if
चेत्:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle ‘if’)
रुचिःdesire, liking
रुचिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
तवof you, your
तव:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन (singular)
तेनby that, with that
तेन:
Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formसर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)
प्रदत्ताgiven
प्रदत्ता:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्र + √दा (धातु) → प्रदत्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — ‘given’
गौःcow
गौः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
तयाby her/with it
तया:
Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formसर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)
नावाboat
नावा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनौ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
प्रसर्पतिmoves forward, proceeds
प्रसर्पति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + √सृप् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
मनुजानाम्of humans
मनुजानाम्:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootमनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन (plural)
हितम्welfare, benefit
हितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootहित (कृदन्त; √धा ‘to place’ → हित, ‘placed/beneficial’)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (nom./acc.), एकवचन (singular); अत्र विशेष्यभावे ‘welfare/benefit’
दानम्gift, charity
दानम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
अन्तेat the end
अन्ते:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन (singular); क्रियाविशेषणभावे (adverbial)
वैतरणीVaitaraṇī (river/rite)
वैतरणी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
स्मृताis remembered/called
स्मृता:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त; क्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे (passive sense) — ‘is remembered/called’
Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: antya-kāla (near life’s end) / performed while alive as preparatory dāna

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna (especially go-dāna) performed for loka-hita at life’s end becomes a concrete support in the afterlife.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: righteous action and giving purify and protect; merit becomes a vehicle (nāva) for the jīva.

Application: Perform charitable giving—especially cow-gift to a worthy recipient—intentionally and ethically; treat end-of-life giving as responsibility, not transaction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river ford/ferry point (symbolic)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vaitaraṇī-vrata and Vaitaraṇī-dhenu prescriptions in the same chapter (immediately following); Garuda Purana: śrāddha/dāna sections praising go-dāna as mahā-dāna

Characters & Entities
V
Vaitarani
B
Bahula (cow)
P
Preta (implied traveler/soul)

FAQs

Vaitaraṇī is described as a critical and fearful crossing in the soul’s post-death journey; this verse highlights that end-of-life charity—especially go-dāna—becomes a saving support for crossing it.

It portrays the departed as a ‘traveler’ at a crossing where progress depends on dharmic merit; the donated cow (Bahulā) becomes the means by which a boat can proceed, symbolizing assistance earned through righteous giving.

Practice dāna with sincerity—especially support linked to compassion and sustenance (like cow-care/food charity)—and treat end-of-life rites as ethical acts of welfare, not mere formality.

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