Shloka 181

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

Devanagari script

शवस्थानसमीपे तु क्षेप्तव्याः पुत्तलास्ततः / दर्भकॢप्तास्तु चत्वार ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः

Transliteration

śavasthānasamīpe tu kṣeptavyāḥ puttalāstataḥ / darbhakḷptāstu catvāra ṛkṣamantrābhimantritāḥ

Translation

لاش کے رکھے جانے کی جگہ کے قریب پھر پُتّلا (رسمی پیکر) رکھے جائیں۔ دَربھ گھاس سے بنے چار پُتّلوں کو رِگ ویدی منترون سے اَبھِمنترِت کیا جائے۔

Word by Word

• शवस्थानसमीपे: near the place of the corpse
• शवस्थानसमीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शवस्थान + समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शवस्थानस्य समीपे)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष (particle)

• क्षेप्तव्याः: should be thrown/placed
• क्षेप्तव्याः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• पुत्तलाः: effigies/dolls (ritual figures)
• पुत्तलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्तला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/क्रमवाचक (from there/then)

• दर्भकॢप्ताः: made/arranged with darbha grass
• दर्भकॢप्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्भ + कॢप्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from कॢप्/कॢप्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दर्भेण कॢप्ताः = made of darbha grass)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष (particle)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (agreeing with implied masculine plural, e.g., पिण्डाः/पुत्तलाः)

• ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः: consecrated by ṛk-mantras
• ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋक्षमन्त्र + अभि + मन्त्रि/मन्त्र (धातु) + क्त (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle) from अभिमन्त्रयति, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ऋक्ष-मन्त्रैः अभिमन्त्रिताः = consecrated with ṛk-mantras)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately near the śava before/within the sequence of funerary rites

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Place puttalā effigies near the corpse; make four from darbha and consecrate with Ṛk mantras—ritual representation and mantra sanctification.

Vedantic Theme: Mantra as sanctifier (saṃskāra) of material forms; symbolic forms mediate transitions in saṃskāra rites.

Application: Prepare ritual substitutes (effigies) with prescribed materials and number; perform mantra-abhiṣeka/abhimantraṇa precisely, maintaining śauca and focus near the śava.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4: puttalā/darbha procedures in funerary context; mantra specification (Ṛk-mantras)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Rigveda (Ṛk) mantras
• Darbha grass

FAQs

What is the importance of placing darbha effigies (puttalā) near the corpse in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a specific funeral-rite step: ritual substitutes made of darbha are placed by the corpse and sanctified with Ṛk mantras, emphasizing orderly, mantra-guided antyeṣṭi performance.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

In the Preta Kanda context, correct rites around the body support the transition phase after death; the verse highlights mantra-consecrated ritual acts performed at the शवस्थान (corpse-location) as part of that passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow death-ritual procedures under qualified guidance: keep rites disciplined, use sanctified materials (like darbha where prescribed), and prioritize mantra and intention rather than improvisation.