Shloka 89

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

विधेया सन्निधौ सर्पिर्दीपं प्रज्वालयेत्पुनः / नमो भगवते वासुदेवायेति जपस्तथा

Transliteration

vidheyā sannidhau sarpirdīpaṃ prajvālayetpunaḥ / namo bhagavate vāsudevāyeti japastathā

Translation

مقررہ طریقے کے مطابق (رسم کے) سَنِّدهان میں دوبارہ گھی کا چراغ روشن کرو؛ اور ‘اوم نمो بھگوتے واسودیوائے’ کا جپ بھی کرو۔

Word by Word

• vidheyā: should be arranged/done
• vidheyā: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु) → vidheya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: ‘to be done/should be arranged’)

• sannidhau: in the presence (nearby)
• sannidhau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• sarpiḥ: ghee
• sarpiḥ: Karta (Instrumental material/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpiṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• dīpam: lamp
• dīpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• prajvālayet: should light
• prajvālayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√jval (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: ‘cause to burn’ = light)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक (adverb)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात; सामान्यतः चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे प्रयुज्यते

• bhagavate: to the Blessed Lord
• bhagavate: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• vāsudevāya: to Vāsudeva
• vāsudevāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक (quotative particle)

• japaḥ: repetition (japa)
• japaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘so/likewise’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-japa of Vāsudeva and maintaining sacred presence (dīpa) stabilize mind and direct it toward the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Smaraṇa as upāya: fixing citta on Īśvara reduces fear and supports sattva at antima-kāla.

Application: Keep a steady lamp and softly repeat ‘namo bhagavate vāsudevāya’ near the departing; prioritize calm repetition over elaborate performance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.88 (antima-kāla supports); Garuda Purana 2.32.90-92 (praṇava, worship, charity, detachment)

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva

FAQs

What is the importance of lighting a ghee lamp in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse prescribes re-lighting a ghee-lamp as part of the proper rite, emphasizing ritual correctness and a sattvic offering that supports prayerful focus during post-death observances.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By pairing a ritual act (the ghee-lamp) with japa of Vāsudeva’s name, the verse points to devotional remembrance and orderly rites as supports for the departed in the preta-related sequence taught in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform prescribed duties carefully, and combine external observance with sincere mantra repetition—especially the Vāsudeva salutation—as a disciplined way to keep devotion and mindfulness central.