Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

पान्थो द्वारि भवेत्तेन प्रीता स्याद्वास्तुदेवता / चत्वरे खेचरस्तेन तुष्येद्भृतादिदेवता

Transliteration

pāntho dvāri bhavettena prītā syādvāstudevatā / catvare khecarastena tuṣyedbhṛtādidevatā

Translation

اس طریقے سے دروازے پر پانتھ (مسافر/مہمان) آتا ہے اور واستو دیوتا خوش ہوتی ہے۔ اسی طرح چوراہے پر کھیچر (آسمان میں چلنے والے) سیراب ہوتے ہیں اور بھرتا وغیرہ دیوتا راضی ہوتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• पान्थः: a traveler; wayfarer
• पान्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be; should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तेन: by that; thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• प्रीता: pleased
• प्रीता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (प्रातिपदिक; √प्री (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (देवता) इति विशेषण

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वास्तुदेवता: the Vāstu-deity (deity of the dwelling)
• वास्तुदेवता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास्तु (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (वास्तोः देवता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चत्वरे: at the square/crossroads
• चत्वरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• खेचरः: a sky-goer (celestial being)
• खेचरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खेचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by that; thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तुष्येत्: would be pleased
• तुष्येत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तुष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भृतादिदेवता: the deity of Bhṛta and others (a class of deities)
• भृतादिदेवता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (भृतादीनां देवता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: When performing the prescribed liminal rites connected with śrāddha/antyeṣṭi contexts at doorway and crossroads.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts harmonize household space and public liminal zones by satisfying presiding deities; dharma includes unseen ecology of beings and guardians.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence of visible action and subtle order; karma as alignment with cosmic administration (devatā-tarpaṇa).

Application: Perform the prescribed act (from prior context) at the doorway and crossroads to please Vāstu-devatā and khecara beings, ensuring auspiciousness and unobstructed household functioning.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: threshold and public junction

Cross References

Related Themes: 2.4.48 on applying the same vidhi at doorway and crossroads; 2.4.49 on death-place and Bhūmi-devatā; 2.4.51 on the departed’s changing designations and directional blessing

Characters & Entities

• Vastu-devata
• Khecaras
• Bhṛtādi-devatās

FAQs

What is the importance of pleasing Vāstu-devatā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links proper ritual conduct with the satisfaction of Vāstu-devatā, implying that offerings and dharmic hospitality help keep the dwelling spiritually auspicious and supportive for rites connected with the departed.

How does this verse relate to the journey after death described in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta-kāṇḍa context, rites are taught as supports for the preta and for removing obstacles; pleasing local and directional beings (at doorways and crossroads) is presented as a way to secure smooth passage and reduce hindrances during transitional after-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain dharmic hospitality and mindful offerings during śrāddha/ancestral rites—keep the home orderly and sacred, and perform acts of giving in appropriate places—so that the environment and associated deities are regarded as supportive rather than obstructive.