Shloka 1

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

प्रश्रप्रपञ्चो नाम प्रथमो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र मानुषाणां हिताय वै / शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वमेवौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

praśraprapañco nāma prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā bhadra mānuṣāṇāṃ hitāya vai / śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvamevaurdhvadaihikam

Translation

‘پراشن پرپنچ’ نام پہلا باب۔ شری کرشن نے فرمایا— اے بھدر، تم نے اچھا سوال کیا ہے، یقیناً انسانوں کی بھلائی کے لیے۔ پس پوری توجہ سے سنو؛ میں مرنے کے بعد ادا کیے جانے والے تمام اُردھودیہک کرم بیان کرتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• प्रश्रप्रपञ्चः: (the chapter called) ‘Praśra-prapañca’
• प्रश्रप्रपञ्चः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्रप्रपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अध्यायनाम (शीर्षक)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संज्ञासूचक (‘named/called’)

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (श्रीमान् कृष्णः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: well (good)
• साधु: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/विशेषणप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसार्थ (‘well/indeed good’)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र ‘साधु’ इत्यनेन सह ‘well asked’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• भद्र: O good one
• भद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधनपद

• मानुषाणाम्: of humans
• मानुषाणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• हिताय: for the welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (शृणुष्व = ‘listen’)

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (‘attentive’)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (‘having become’)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ (‘only/indeed’)

• ऊर्ध्वदैहिकम्: pertaining to the after-death rites/state
• ऊर्ध्वदैहिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व + दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (ऊर्ध्वं दैहिकम्/ऊर्ध्वदेहसम्बन्धि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as narrator/teacher in the Purāṇic dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death (ūrdhva-dehika) period; details to follow in subsequent verses/sections.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aūrdhva-dehika: duties/rites after death; attentive hearing is required for correct performance and benefit to humans.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kanda as supportive discipline (samskara/antyeshti/shraddha) within a broader soteriological horizon.

Application: Learn and perform last rites and śrāddha with precision; cultivate attentive listening before acting in ritual matters.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2.4 (putra and post-death continuity theme); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections on preta-krtya and śrāddha procedures

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Mānuṣa (human beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of ūrdhva-dehika (post-death rites) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames ūrdhva-dehika as a complete, welfare-oriented teaching meant to guide humans in proper post-death duties, implying these rites are central to dharmic conduct after a death.

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

It serves as an opening promise: the speaker will explain ‘everything’ about post-death matters, setting the stage for later descriptions of the departed’s condition and the role of rites in that journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach funeral and śrāddha-related duties with attentiveness and sincerity, treating them as ethical responsibilities performed for the welfare of the departed and the living family.