Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 23

The Explanation of Various Gifts (Dāna) and the Soul’s Entry into Another Body

Devanagari script

शय्या दक्षिणया युक्ता आयुधाम्बरसंयुता / हैमश्रीपतिना युक्ता देया विप्राय शर्मणे / तथा प्रेतत्वमुक्तो ऽसौ मोदते सह दैवतैः

Transliteration

śayyā dakṣiṇayā yuktā āyudhāmbarasaṃyutā / haimaśrīpatinā yuktā deyā viprāya śarmaṇe / tathā pretatvamukto 'sau modate saha daivataiḥ

Translation

当以床榻作为达克希那之施赠与婆罗门，并同施兵器与衣服，又配以金制的室利波提（毗湿奴）圣像以求安宁。如此行者，亡者脱离饿鬼（preta）之态，与诸天同欢。

Word by Word

• शय्या: a bed
• शय्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दक्षिणया: with a gift/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• युक्ता: endowed/associated
• युक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'शय्या' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आयुधाम्बरसंयुता: provided with weapons and garments
• आयुधाम्बरसंयुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुध + अम्बर + संयुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः (आयुधैः अम्बरैः च संयुता)

• हैमश्रीपतिना: with a golden lord-of-prosperity (i.e., golden Śrīpati/Viṣṇu image or emblem)
• हैमश्रीपतिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैम + श्रीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; 'हैमः श्रीपतिः' इति कर्मधारयः

• युक्ता: endowed/associated
• युक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'शय्या' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• देया: to be given
• देया: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विध्यर्थक-भाव (gerundive/तव्यत्-समर्थ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तव्यता (should be given)

• विप्राय: to a Brahmin
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• शर्मणे: for welfare/comfort
• शर्मणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/हितार्थे

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकार/अनुक्रमार्थ

• प्रेतत्वमुक्तः: freed from the state of being a preta
• प्रेतत्वमुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेतत्व + मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषभावः (प्रेतत्वात् मुक्तः)

• असौ: that person/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition-like), सहार्थक

• दैवतैः: with the deities
• दैवतैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: As dakṣiṇā connected to antyeṣṭi/śrāddha sequence (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A prescribed dakṣiṇā-dāna (bed with weapons, garments, and a golden Śrīpati image) can liberate the departed from pretatva and lead to deva-sahavāsa.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual action (karma) as a purifier and status-transformer for the subtle being; movement from preta-loka condition toward higher gati.

Application: If following tradition, perform śrāddha-related dāna with integrity: appropriate gifts, proper recipient (qualified brāhmaṇa), and devotional orientation to Viṣṇu.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual setting (dāna to brāhmaṇa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: pretatva duration and its alleviation through śrāddha/dāna; Garuda Purana: Śrīpati/Viṣṇu-upāsanā integrated into antyeṣṭi gifts

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Śrīpati)
• Garuda
• Devas
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of śayyā-dāna (donation of a bed) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that gifting a bed as dakṣiṇā—along with clothes, weapons, and a golden image of Śrīpati—helps release the departed from pretatva (the preta condition), leading to divine association.

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

It implies that an unsettled post-death state (pretatva) can be alleviated through prescribed śrāddha-related dāna; the merit of these gifts supports the departed toward a higher, deva-like condition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity connected to ancestral rites with sincerity—supporting learned and ethical recipients, offering essentials like clothing and bedding, and dedicating the act to Viṣṇu—cultivating dharma, gratitude to ancestors, and compassionate giving.