Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 173

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

Devanagari script

पुण्याभिरभिमन्त्र्यापो वाचा शुद्धिं लभेत्ततः / शतसूर्पोदकेनादौ स्नापयित्वा यथाविधि

Transliteration

puṇyābhirabhimantryāpo vācā śuddhiṃ labhettataḥ / śatasūrpodakenādau snāpayitvā yathāvidhi

Translation

用吉祥的咒语加持水，人们便通过言语获得纯净；随后，应使用加持过百次的水按规矩沐浴逝者。

Word by Word

• पुण्याभिः: with sacred (mantras/words)
• पुण्याभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘पुण्य’ इति विशेषणम्

• अभिमन्त्र्य: having consecrated (by mantra)
• अभिमन्त्र्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन्त्र् (धातु) उपसर्ग-अभि + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘अभि + √मन्त्र्’ = having consecrated/enchanted

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रयोग), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वाचा: by speech/utterance
• वाचा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुद्धिम्: purity
• शुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लभेत्: may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रम (thereafter/from that)

• शतसूर्पोदकेन: with water (measured/filtered) by a hundred winnowing-baskets
• शतसूर्पोदकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + सूर्प + उदक (प्रातिपदिक); शतसूर्पोदक (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः ‘शतसूर्पैः (शत-प्रमाणैः) शुद्धं उदकम्’ इत्यर्थे

• आदौ: at first
• आदौ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदौ (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• स्नापयित्वा: having bathed (her)
• स्नापयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु) णिच् (causative) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); णिजन्त-धातु ‘स्नापयति’ = to bathe (someone)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• विधि: rule; prescribed procedure
• विधि: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे ‘यथाविधि’ इति समस्तपदत्वेन व्यवहारः

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Mata

Timing: before cremation (pre-dāha śuddhi)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra and properly prepared water function as instruments of ritual purification; speech (vāc) is a vehicle of śuddhi when aligned with auspicious formulae.

Vedantic Theme: Purification of antaḥkaraṇa is mirrored by external śuddhi; disciplined speech supports sattva and right action.

Application: Consecrate water with auspicious mantras; perform the initial bathing with repeatedly sanctified water (emphasizing thoroughness and rule-following).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual bathing area near the body (home/cremation threshold)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: funeral purification sequences (snāna, abhiṣeka, śuddhi) preceding dāha; Garuda Purana: mantras and śuddhi media in antyeṣṭi context

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Mantra
• Water (Āpaḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of mantra-consecrated water in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames water as ritually effective only when empowered by auspicious mantras, making the purification (śuddhi) formally valid for rites connected with the departed.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals?

It gives a procedural instruction—begin with a rule-based bath using specially sanctified/filtered water—highlighting that correct purification is foundational before subsequent preta-related observances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness and intentionality in sacred actions: begin important rites with purification, use respectful recitation, and follow established procedures rather than improvising.