Shloka 157

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

अशुद्धेन तु यद्दत्तमुद्दिश्याशुद्धिमेव च / नोपतिष्ठति तत्सर्वमन्तरिक्षे विनश्यति

Transliteration

aśuddhena tu yaddattamuddiśyāśuddhimeva ca / nopatiṣṭhati tatsarvamantarikṣe vinaśyati

Translation

جو چیز ناپاک شخص دے یا ناپاک نیت سے نذر کرے، وہ جس کے لیے مقصود ہو اُس تک نہیں پہنچتی؛ وہ سب کچھ فضا (انترِکش) میں ہی ضائع ہو جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अशुद्धेन: by/with (one who is) impure
• अशुद्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः (विशेषण), तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular; qualifies implied agent/means

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun agreeing with 'दत्तम्'

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle

• उद्दिश्य: intending/for (someone/something)
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्+दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), 'उद्दिश्य' = having intended/for the sake of

• अशुद्धिम्: impurity
• अशुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of 'उद्दिश्य' (intended towards)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• उपतिष्ठति: accrues/stands (to one), is effective
• उपतिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; present indicative

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun referring to 'दत्तम्'

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifier of 'तत्'

• अन्तरिक्षे: in mid-air/in the sky
• अन्तरिक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative

• विनश्यति: perishes/is lost
• विनश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Any śrāddha/dāna context; especially before offerings to pitṛs

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna and ritual offerings require both external purity and inner purity (intention); otherwise they become fruitless.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala depends on saṅkalpa and adhikāra; outer act without inner alignment fails to bear intended result.

Application: Before charity, śrāddha, or any offering, ensure bodily/ritual cleanliness and examine motive; avoid performing rites in anger, haste, or hypocrisy.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic intermediate region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.158-161 (śuddhi and expiation before ūrdhva-dehika rites); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections emphasizing śuddhi and proper saṅkalpa

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purity (śauca) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that offerings made in impurity—or with impure intent—fail to reach the intended recipient (such as the Pitris) and are considered wasted, emphasizing śauca as essential for śrāddha efficacy.

How does this verse explain whether śrāddha or pinda-dāna reaches the departed?

It teaches that the success of the offering depends on the giver’s purity and intention; if these are tainted, the offering does not ‘arrive’ and is said to perish in antarikṣa, the intermediate realm.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral rites with cleanliness, correct procedure, and sincere dedication; more broadly, ensure charity and religious acts are done with integrity rather than negligence or hypocrisy.