Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 95

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

Devanagari script

मृते भर्तरि या नारी समारोहेद्धुताशनम् / सारन्धतीसमाचारा स्वर्गलोके महीयते

Transliteration

mṛte bhartari yā nārī samāroheddhutāśanam / sārandhatīsamācārā svargaloke mahīyate

Translation

Khi chồng đã mất, người nữ nào bước lên ngọn lửa rực cháy, giữ hạnh như Arundhatī, thì được tôn vinh nơi cõi trời.

Word by Word

• मृते: when (he is) dead
• मृते: Adhikarana (Circumstantial locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) ‘मृत’; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• भर्तरि: in/when the husband
• भर्तरि: Adhikarana (Circumstantial locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• या: who
• या: Karta (Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समारोहेत्: should ascend/mount
• समारोहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धुताशनम्: the fire
• धुताशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धुत + अशन्/आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धुतं (दग्धं) अश्नाति’/‘धूतः आशनः’ इति—अग्निः (fire)

• सारन्धतीसमाचारा: having conduct like Arundhatī
• सारन्धतीसमाचारा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सा + अरुन्धती + समाचारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अरुन्धत्याः समाचारा’ (conduct like Arundhatī)

• स्वर्गलोके: in heaven-world
• स्वर्गलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• महीयते: is honored, is glorified
• महीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग/आत्मनेपद—‘महीयते’ = ‘पूज्यते/सम्मान्यते’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately after husband’s death (context of cremation/antyeṣṭi)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The verse endorses the act of ascending the funeral fire after the husband’s death, equating it with Arundhatī-like conduct and promising svarga honor.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma framed as a means to svarga (karma-phala); not mokṣa-oriented, but ritual-ethical causality is foregrounded.

Application: Historically reflects a contested strī-dharma ideal; in contemporary application, treat as a window into Purāṇic social theology rather than a prescriptive norm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cremation ground / funeral fire (implicit)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.96 (explicit claim about release from woman’s body)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Arundhati
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of Arundhatī-like conduct in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Arundhatī as the archetype of steadfast marital dharma; aligning one’s conduct with that ideal is said here to lead to honor in Svarga.

How does this verse explain the after-death outcome (Svarga) for certain actions?

It links a specific ritual act—ascending the funeral fire after the husband’s death—with a stated result: being glorified in the heavenly realm.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Take the core teaching as emphasis on dharmic integrity and steadfastness in conduct; in practice, many apply it by upholding ethical fidelity, self-discipline, and sincere observance of family and spiritual duties.