Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 13
Preta-bhāva: Causes, Remedies, and the Rationale of Post-death Rites
Question-Catalogue
शंव स्कन्धे वहेत्पुत्रो वह्निदाता च पौत्रकः / किमर्थं देव देवेश आज्येनाभ्यञ्जनं कुतः
śaṃva skandhe vahetputro vahnidātā ca pautrakaḥ / kimarthaṃ deva deveśa ājyenābhyañjanaṃ kutaḥ
“应由儿子肩负亡者，由孙子施与丧葬之火。噢，诸天之主，为何要规定以酥油（ghee）涂抹之礼？此举缘何而行？”
Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu
Ritual Type: Ekoddishta
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Antyeṣṭi day and immediate post-cremation rites (contextual)
Concept: Antyeṣṭi is a saṃskāra where family members discharge ṛṇa (debts) to ancestors; ghee-anointing sanctifies and aids the rite’s efficacy.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma as harmonizer of saṃsāra; honoring the body as a temporary vessel while assisting the jīva’s transition.
Application: In bereavement, follow clear role assignments, maintain śauca (ritual purity), and perform rites calmly to support collective closure and the departed’s passage.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: cremation ground
Related Themes: Garuda Purana antyeṣṭi-vidhi: kartā roles, agni-dāna, snehana/ājya usage in cremation rites
FAQs
This verse highlights dharmic role-allocation in antyeṣṭi: the son bears primary responsibility for the departed, while the grandson may be appointed to provide/establish the cremation fire—ensuring continuity of lineage-based duty in the last rites.
The verse frames ghee-anointing (ājya-abhyāñjana) as a deliberate ritual act whose rationale is being sought; in the Preta Kanda narrative, such questions prompt Vishnu’s explanation of how specific rites support the proper transition of the deceased through post-death stages.
When performing last rites, follow clearly assigned responsibilities within the family and consult learned guidance for ritual details like ghee anointing—treating them as intentional acts of duty (dharma) rather than mere custom.