Shloka 127

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

दत्ता पापं दहेत् सर्वं मम लोकन्तु सा नयेत् / मप्तमे मासि सम्प्राप्ते पुरं बह्वापदं मृतः

Transliteration

dattā pāpaṃ dahet sarvaṃ mama lokantu sā nayet / maptame māsi samprāpte puraṃ bahvāpadaṃ mṛtaḥ

Translation

شرعی طریقے سے دیا گیا دان سب گناہوں کو جلا دیتا ہے اور دینے والے کو میرے لوک میں پہنچا دیتا ہے۔ مگر جب ساتواں مہینہ آتا ہے تو مُردہ کو بہت سی آفتوں والے شہر میں لے جایا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• दत्ता: (she/it) given; the given (gift)
• दत्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दहेत्: would burn/destroy
• दहेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of पापम्)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• लोकम्: world/realm
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• सा: she/that (gift)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नयेत्: would lead/take
• नयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सप्तमे: in the seventh
• सप्तमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of मासि)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it is) reached/arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+प्र+आप् (धातु) → सम्प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• पुरम्: city/abode
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बह्वापदम्: full of many calamities
• बह्वापदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बह्व्-आपद् = बह्वी आपद् यस्मिन् (बह्वापद) विशेषण (of पुरम्)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna performed in proper manner destroys pāpa and elevates the soul; time-bound stages after death unfold inexorably according to karma and ritual support.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (inevitability of results) tempered by upāya (remedial means) through dharmic action and devotion.

Application: Practice timely, properly intended charity and support śrāddha-related giving; cultivate Vishnu-oriented merit to orient the mind toward a higher gati.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine realm and intermediate city on the preta’s route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: month-by-month preta-journey descriptions; piṇḍa/udaka efficacy passages; Yama’s messengers and city-stations (pura) sequences

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Preta (the deceased)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that properly given charity destroys sin and becomes a means of attaining Vishnu’s realm, making dāna a key remedy in after-death and merit-building teachings.

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

It indicates a staged journey: alongside the spiritual benefit of dāna, the deceased (preta) is described as being led onward in time, reaching by the seventh month a perilous city—suggesting progressive post-death transitions and trials.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice ethical giving and support rites of remembrance (as per one’s tradition), using charity as a disciplined act of dharma aimed at purification and welfare of the departed.