Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 22

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

यद्वा यस्मिन्दिने दानं तस्मिंस्तद्दिनसंख्यया / दशाहे ऽञ्जलयः पक्षिन्पञ्चाशदन्तिमे

Transliteration

yadvā yasmindine dānaṃ tasmiṃstaddinasaṃkhyayā / daśāhe 'ñjalayaḥ pakṣinpañcāśadantime

Translation

又或者，噢神鸟迦楼罗：在何日行布施（dāna），便以该日之数如实计入；于十日仪轨中，每日皆有合掌掬献（añjali），至最后一日则增至五十。

Word by Word

• यद्वा: or else; alternatively
• यद्वा: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-समुच्चय (alternative particle: 'or else/otherwise')

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे/अधिकरणे (locative)

• दिने: on the day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• दानम्: gift; offering
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/विषय (context decides)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• दिनसंख्यया: by the count of days
• दिनसंख्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental: 'by/according to')

• दशाहे: in the ten-day period
• दशाहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अञ्जलयः: handfuls (anjalis)
• अञ्जलयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (as countable units)

• पक्षिन्: O bird (Garuda)
• पक्षिन्: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• पञ्चाशत्: fifty
• पञ्चाशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चाशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्द; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (count used adjectivally)

• अन्तिमे: on the last (day)
• अन्तिमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण-विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Within the ten-day (daśāha) post-death period; counts keyed to the specific day of giving.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts (dana/udaka-anjali) are time-indexed; the day of giving determines the count and sequence within the ten-day observance.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kanda as purifier: disciplined action and sankalpa align the mind toward sattva and remembrance of dharma.

Application: Keep a day-by-day ledger of offerings during the ten-day period; ensure the final day’s prescribed total (fifty) is completed without omission.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: dashaha-vidhi and udaka/anjali counting in the shraddha sequence (adjacent verses 2.5.21–2.5.27)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Pakshin)

FAQs

What is the importance of day-counting for dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the merit and procedure follow the specific day on which the dāna is performed; the ritual count is aligned with that day-number within the ten-day observance.

How does this verse relate to the preta’s journey after death?

In the Preta Kanda context, structured ten-day rites and offerings are described as supports for the departed’s transitional state; the verse specifies the regulated sequence and quantity of añjali offerings culminating on the final day.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing post-death observances, keep the ritual sequence consistent with the correct day-count and complete the prescribed daily offerings, treating dāna as disciplined, timely support rather than a random act.