Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 18

Tila–Darbha–Maṇḍala in Aūrdhvadaihika: Protection, Eligibility, and the Merit of Salt-Dāna

Devanagari script

दर्भा मल्लोमसम्भूतास्तिलाः स्वेदसमुद्भवाः / तृप्ताः स्युर्देवता दानैः श्राद्धेन पितरस्तथा / प्रयोगविधिना ब्रह्मा विश्वञ्चाप्युपजीवनात्

Transliteration

darbhā mallomasambhūtāstilāḥ svedasamudbhavāḥ / tṛptāḥ syurdevatā dānaiḥ śrāddhena pitarastathā / prayogavidhinā brahmā viśvañcāpyupajīvanāt

Translation

据说，达尔婆草（darbha）生自毗湿奴身上的毫毛，芝麻生自祂的汗。以布施（dāna）则诸天得满足；以施罗达（śrāddha）则诸祖灵（Pitṛ）亦得满足。确然，依正当的仪轨（prayoga-vidhi）而行，梵天（Brahmā）乃至整个宇宙，也由此等供养与扶持而得以维系。

Word by Word

• darbhāḥ: darbha grasses
• darbhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine nominative plural)

• malloma-sambhūtāḥ: born from Malloma (a being named Malloma)
• malloma-sambhūtāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: malloma (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhūta (√bhū, कृदन्त क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (Masculine nominative plural; ‘arisen from…’)

• tilāḥ: sesame seeds
• tilāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine nominative plural)

• sveda-samudbhavāḥ: arisen from sweat
• sveda-samudbhavāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sveda (प्रातिपदिक) + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्तार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (sveda-samudbhava = arising from sweat) (Masculine nominative plural)

• tṛptāḥ: satisfied
• tṛptāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tṛp (तृप्, धातु) → tṛpta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Masculine nominative plural; ‘satisfied’)

• syuḥ: would be/should become
• syuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd pl.)

• devatāḥ: deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Feminine nominative plural)

• dānaiḥ: by gifts/charity
• dānaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• śrāddhena: by śrāddha rite
• śrāddhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• pitaraḥ: ancestors (pitṛs)
• pitaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine nominative plural)

• tathā: likewise/so
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• prayoga-vidhinā: by the proper procedure/application
• prayoga-vidhinā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayoga (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (prayoga-vidhi = prescribed procedure of performance) (Instrumental singular)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (Masculine nominative singular)

• viśvam: the universe/all (beings)
• viśvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as subject with brahmā) (Neuter nominative singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (particle: also/even)

• upajīvanāt: from (their) sustenance/support
• upajīvanāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upajīvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (Ablative singular: ‘from/through livelihood/support’)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha occasions; also general pitṛ-kārya days per prayoga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings (dāna, śrāddha) nourish devas and pitṛs; correct procedure sustains cosmic functioning.

Vedantic Theme: Yajña-dāna-tapas as loka-saṅgraha; dharma as maintenance of ṛta through reciprocal nourishment between humans and subtle beings.

Application: Perform śrāddha and dāna with proper prayoga-vidhi; treat darbha/tila as sacred; maintain ritual cleanliness and correctness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (śrāddha/tarpaṇa setting)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha sections on darbha/tila sanctity and pitṛ-tarpaṇa efficacy; Garuda Purana statements on Viṣṇu as adhiyajña and support of worlds

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Pitris
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of darbha (kuśa grass) and tila (sesame) in Garuda Purana śrāddha rituals?

This verse links darbha and tila to divine origin and presents them as ritually potent substances, making offerings and śrāddha effective for pleasing devas and especially satisfying the Pitṛs.

How does this verse explain the role of dāna and śrāddha in the after-death context?

It distinguishes outcomes: dāna gratifies the devas, while śrāddha specifically gratifies the Pitṛs—implying that post-death welfare and ancestral support depend on properly performed ancestral rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/tarpana with correct procedure and appropriate materials (like darbha and tila) and combine it with sincere charity (dāna), aligning ritual action with reverence and responsibility to ancestors.