Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

नदीं वैतरणीं तर्तुं दद्याद्वैतरणीं च गाम् / कृष्णस्तनी सकृष्णाङ्गी सा वै वैतरणी स्मृता

Transliteration

nadīṃ vaitaraṇīṃ tartuṃ dadyādvaitaraṇīṃ ca gām / kṛṣṇastanī sakṛṣṇāṅgī sā vai vaitaraṇī smṛtā

Translation

وَیتَرَنی ندی کو پار کرنے کے لیے ‘وَیتَرَنی گائے’ کا دان دینا چاہیے۔ جو گائے سیاہ تھنوں والی اور سیاہ اعضا والی ہو، وہی وَیتَرَنی (گائے) کہلاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• नदीम्: the river
• नदीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• वैतरणीम्: Vaitaraṇī (river)
• वैतरणीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तर्तुम्: to cross
• तर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (to cross)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वैतरणीम्: a Vaitaraṇī (so-called)
• वैतरणीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गाम् इति विशेषणम् (a ‘Vaitaraṇī’ cow)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृष्णस्तनी: black-teated
• कृष्णस्तनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कृष्णाः स्तनाः यस्याः)

• सकृष्णाङ्गी: having black limbs
• सकृष्णाङ्गी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + ई (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (कृष्णानि अङ्गानि यस्याः सा)

• सा: she/that (cow)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed)

• वैतरणी: Vaitaraṇī
• वैतरणी: Pratipadya (Predicate nominal/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृता: is called/considered
• स्मृता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय (is called/considered)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific dāna (Vaitaraṇī cow) functions as a karmic aid for crossing the afterlife river; ritual action has post-mortem efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s operative continuity beyond death; upāya (means) within dharma to lessen suffering; faith-linked action (śraddhā) as transformative.

Application: Perform meaningful, targeted charity tied to life transitions (end-of-life planning, legacy giving); support animal welfare/cow-care where culturally appropriate; document ethical bequests.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river/threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Preta-kalpa: Vaitaraṇī river crossing and go-dāna prescriptions; Garuda Purana: go-dāna mahātmyas and specific cows named for rites

Characters & Entities

• Vaitaraṇī

FAQs

What is the importance of Vaitaraṇī-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that donating the Vaitaraṇī cow is prescribed as a means for crossing the formidable Vaitaraṇī river on the post-death journey.

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

It links a specific ritual gift (dāna of the Vaitaraṇī cow) with overcoming a key obstacle on the preta-mārga—symbolically enabling passage across the Vaitaraṇī.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes intentional charity and prescribed rites for ancestors—supporting dharmic giving and remembrance practices associated with funerary/śrāddha traditions.