Shloka 4

The Destiny of Those Who Die Through Fasting & the Procedure of Udakumbha-dāna

Devanagari script

द्वादशाहे च पण्मासे त्रैपक्षे वापि वत्सरे / उदकुम्भाः प्रदातव्या मार्गे तस्य सुखाय वै

Transliteration

dvādaśāhe ca paṇmāse traipakṣe vāpi vatsare / udakumbhāḥ pradātavyā mārge tasya sukhāya vai

Translation

دوازدہ دن، چھ ماہ کی تکمیل پر، تین پکش کے زمانے میں یا سال کے آخر میں—اس کی پرلوک یاترا کی آسودگی کے لیے آب کے کُمبھ دان کرنا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• dvādaśāhe: On the twelfth day
• dvādaśāhe: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ca: And
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• ṣaṇmāse: In the sixth month
• ṣaṇmāse: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṇmāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• traipakṣe: In the three fortnights (45 days)
• traipakṣe: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traipakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vā: Or
• vā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunction

• api: Also/Even
• api: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/Emphasis

• vatsare: In the year (anniversary)
• vatsare: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• udakumbhāḥ: Water pots
• udakumbhāḥ: Karma (Object in Passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udakumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• pradātavyāḥ: To be given
• pradātavyāḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) + pra
• Form: Tavya Pratyaya, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• mārge: On the path
• mārge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tasya: His (the ghost's)
• tasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• sukhāya: For happiness/comfort
• sukhāya: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• vai: Indeed
• vai: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic Particle

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: dvādaśāha; ṣaṇmāsa; tri-pakṣa observance; saṃvatsara (ābdika)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna performed at specific post-death intervals yields tangible sukha to the departed, showing continuity of karmic support through ritual action.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as upāya within saṃsāra; compassion expressed as dharmic action without denying the soul’s onward movement.

Application: Perform water-pot charity (udakumbha-dāna) on the 12th day, at six months, at tri-pakṣa observances, and at the yearly rite for the deceased.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: journey-path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: sequences of 12th-day rites and preta-path relief through dāna (udaka, anna, vastra, pātra); Garuda Purana: śrāddha timing markers—dvādaśāha, ṣaṇmāsa, saṃvatsara

Characters & Entities

• Preta (departed soul)

FAQs

What is the importance of udakumbha-dāna (donating water-pots) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that gifting water-pots at key post-death intervals is meant to give relief and comfort to the departed on the difficult onward journey (preta-mārga).

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

It assumes the departed travels a ‘path’ after death and that supportive rites and charities performed by the living can ease that passage, specifically by providing symbolic and ritual ‘water’ support through udakumbha-dāna.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

During post-funeral observances (12th day, six-month, and annual rites), one may include water-related charity—such as donating water pots or supporting clean-water provision—in the departed’s name, aligning generosity with remembrance.