Garuda Purana

प्रेतः कौक्षिप्यते कस्मात्पञ्चरत्नं मुखे कथम् । अधस्ताच्चालिता दर्भाः पादौ याम्यां व्यवस्थितौ ॥ २,१.

Why is a coin of five gems placed in the mouth of the dead? Why are darbha grasses arranged below, and why are the feet positioned towards the southern direction?

किमर्थं पुत्रपौत्राश्च तस्य तिष्ठन्ति चाग्रतः । किमर्थं दीयते दानं गोदानमपि केशव ॥ २,१.

For what reason do sons and grandsons stand before the deceased? For what purpose is charity given, and why, O Keśava, is the gift of a cow made?

बन्धुमित्राण्यमित्राश्च क्षमापयन्ति तत्कथम् । तिलालोहं हिरण्यं च कर्पासं लवणं तथा ॥ २,१.

How is it that relatives, friends, and even enemies are asked for forgiveness at that time? Why are sesame, iron, gold, cotton, and salt offered as well?

सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गावो दीयन्ते केनहेतुना । कथं हि म्रियते जन्तुर्मृतो वै कुत्र गच्छति ॥ २,१.

For what reason are seven kinds of grains, earth, and cows given? How does a living being die, and after death, where does he go?

अतिवाहशरीरं च कथं हि श्रयते तदा । शवं स्कन्धे वहेत्पुत्रो अग्निदाता च पौत्रकः ॥ २,१.

How does one then assume the subtle body for the journey? Why does the son carry the corpse on his shoulder, and the grandson become the giver of fire?

आज्येनाभ्यञ्जनं कस्मात्कुत एकाहुतिक्रिया । वसुन्धरा किमर्थं च कुतः स्त्रीशब्दकीर्तनम् ॥ २,१.

Why is the body anointed with ghee, and what is the reason for the single oblation? Why is earth offered, and why is the mention of the word 'woman' made?

यमसूक्तं किमर्थं च उदीच्या दिशमाहरेत् । पानीयमेकवस्त्रेण सूर्यबिम्बनिरीक्षणम् ॥ २,१.

For what purpose is the Yama hymn recited, and why is the body carried towards the northern direction? Why is water given with a single garment, and why is the sun's disk gazed upon?

यवसर्षपदूर्वास्तु पाषाणे निम्बपत्रकम् । वस्त्रं नरश्च नारी च विदध्यादधरोत्तरम् ॥ २,१.

Why are barley, mustard seeds, and dūrvā grass placed on a stone with neem leaves? Why are garments, a man, and a woman arranged above and below?

अन्नाद्यं गृहमागत्य न भोक्तव्यं जनैः सह । नवकांश्चैव पिण्डांश्च किमर्थं ददते सुताः ॥ २,१.

Why, upon returning home, should one not eat food with others? For what reason do the sons offer nine balls of rice?

किमर्थं चत्वरे दुग्धं यात्रे पक्वे च मृन्मये । काष्ठत्रयं गणाबद्धं कृत्वा रात्रौ चतुष्पथे ॥ २,१.

Why is milk placed at the crossroads in an earthen vessel at the time of the journey? Why are three pieces of wood tied together and set at the four-way crossing at night?

निशायां दीयते दीपो यावदब्दं दिनेदिन । दाहोदकं किमर्थं च किमर्थं च जनैः सह ॥ २,१.

Why is a lamp given at night every day for a year? For what reason is water for charity offered, and why is it done with others?

भगवन्नाति वाहश्च नव पिण्डाः प्रदापयेत् । कथं देयं पितृभ्यश्च वाहस्यावाहनं कथम् ॥ २,१.

O Lord, if the journey is long, should nine rice balls be offered? How should they be given to the ancestors, and how is the journey's conveyance arranged?

इदञ्चेत्क्रियते देव कस्मात्पिण्डं प्रदापयेत् । किं तत्प्रदीयते तस्य पिण्डदानाद्यनन्तरम् ॥ २,१.

If this is done, O Lord, why should the rice ball be offered? What is given to him immediately after the offering of the rice ball?

अस्थिसञ्चयनं चैव घटस्फोटं तथैव च । द्वितीयेऽह्नि कुतः स्नानं चतुर्थे साग्निके द्विजे ॥ २,१.

Why is the collection of bones and the breaking of the pot performed? On the second day, why is bathing prescribed, and on the fourth, the fire ritual for the twice-born?

दशमे किं मलस्नानं कार्यं सर्वजनैः सह । कस्मात्तैलोद्वर्तनं च स्कन्धवाहगृहं नयेत् ॥ २,१.

On the tenth day, why should everyone bathe to remove impurity? Why is oil anointment done, and why is the house of the bearer visited?

तैलोद्वर्तनकं चापि दधुः स्थूलजलाशये । दशमेऽहनि यत्पिण्डं तद्दद्या दामिषेण तु ॥ २,१.

Why is oil anointment performed in a large water tank? On the tenth day, the rice ball should be given with a vessel made of clay.

पिणाञ्चैकादशे कस्माद्वृषोत्सर्गादिपूर्वकम् । भाजनोपानहौ च्छत्रं वासांसि त्वङ्गुलीयकम् ॥ २,१.

Why, on the eleventh day, is the rice ball offered after releasing a bull? Why are vessels, sandals, an umbrella, garments, and a ring given?

त्रयोदशेऽह्नि देयं स्यात्पददानं किमर्थकम् । श्राद्धानि षोडशैतानि अब्दं यावत्कुतो घटः ॥ २,१.

On the thirteenth day, the offering of water for the feet should be given; what is the purpose of this? These sixteen śrāddha rites are to be performed for a year—what is the reason for this vessel?

अन्नाद्येनोदकेनैव षष्ट्याधिकशतत्रयम् । दिनेदिने च दातव्यं घटान्नं प्रेततृप्तये ॥ २,१.

With food and water, one hundred and sixty-three vessels should be offered, one each day, for the satisfaction of the departed.

प्राप्ते काले वै म्रियते अनित्या मानवाः प्रभो ॥ २,१.

When the destined time arrives, people die, O Lord; human beings are impermanent.

छिद्रं तु नैव पश्यामि कुतो जीवः स निर्गतः । कुतो गच्छन्ति भूतानि पृथिव्यापो मनस्तथा । तेजो वदस्व मे नाथ वायुराकाशमेव च ॥ २,१.

I do not see any opening—how does the soul depart? Where do the elements—earth, water, mind, fire, air, and space—go? Tell me, O Lord.

कुतः कर्मेन्द्रियाणीह पञ्चबुद्धीन्द्रियाणि च । वायवश्चैव पञ्चैते कथं गच्छन्ति चात्ययम् ॥ २,१.

From where do the organs of action and the five sense organs arise here? And how do these five vital airs pass away at death?

लोभमोहादयः पञ्च शरीरे चैव तस्कराः । तृष्णा कामो ह्यहङ्कारः कुतो यान्ति जनार्दना ॥ २,१.

Greed, delusion, and the other five thieves in the body—where do thirst, desire, and ego go, O Janārdana?

पुण्यं वाप्यथवापुण्यं यत्किञ्चित्सुकृतं तथा । नष्टे देहे कुतो यान्ति दानानि विविधानि च ॥ २,१.

Where do merit and demerit, and whatever good deeds there are, as well as the various gifts, go when the body is destroyed?

सपिण्डनं किमर्थं च पूर्णे संवत्सरेऽपि वा । प्रेतस्य मेलनं केषां किंविधं तत्र कारयेत् ॥ २,१.

What is the purpose of the sapiṇḍa rite, even after a full year? For which departed ones is this union performed, and in what manner should it be done?

मूर्छनात्पननाद्वापि विपत्तिर्यदि जायते । ये दग्धा ये त्वदग्धाश्च पतिता ये नरा भुवि ॥ २,१.

If death occurs by fainting or falling, what happens to those men who are burned, those not burned, and those who have fallen on earth?

यानि चान्यानि भूतानि तेषामन्ते भवेच्च किम् । पापिनो ये दुराचारा ये चान्ये गतबुद्धयः ॥ २,१.

And what happens at the end to other beings? What of the sinful, the wicked, and those whose minds have gone astray?

आत्मघाती ब्रह्महा च स्तेयी विश्वासघातकः । कपिलायाः पिबेच्छूद्रो यः पठेदिदमक्षरम् ॥ २,१.

What is the fate of a suicide, a brahmin-killer, a thief, a betrayer of trust, a Śūdra who drinks the milk of a tawny cow, or who recites this sacred text?

धारयेद्ब्रह्मसूत्रं वा का गतिस्तस्य माधव । शूद्रस्य ब्राह्मणी भार्या संगृहीता यदा भवेत् ॥ २,१.

If a Śūdra wears the sacred thread or takes a brāhmaṇa woman as wife, what is his destiny, O Mādhava?