Garuda Purana

लेप्या तु गोमयैर्भूमिस्तिलान्दर्भान्विनिः क्षिपेत् । तस्यामेवातुरो मुक्तः सर्वं दहति किल्बिषम् ॥ २,२.

The ground should be smeared with cow dung, and sesame seeds and darbha grass scattered. There, the deceased, when released, burns away all his sins.

दर्भतूली नयेत्स्वर्गमातुरस्य न संशयः । दर्भांस्तत्र क्षिपेद्वाथ तूलीगेन्दुकमध्यतः ॥ २,२.

A mat of darbha grass leads the dying to heaven, without doubt. There, darbha grass should be placed, or a cotton pillow at the center.

सर्वत्र वसुधापूता यत्र लेपो न विद्यते । यत्र लेपः स्थितस्तत्र पुनर्लेपेन शुध्यति ॥ २,२.

Everywhere, the earth is purified where there is no smearing; where smearing is present, it is purified again by further smearing.

यातुधानाः पिशाचाश्च राक्षसाः क्रूरकर्मिणः । अलेपं ह्यातुरं मुक्तं विशन्त्येते वियोनयः ॥ २,२.

Yātudhānas, piśācas, and rākṣasas of cruel deeds enter the sick, unprotected, and unpurified; these spirits invade those who are vulnerable.

नित्यहोमस्तथा श्राद्धं पादशौचं द्विजे तथा । मण्डलेन विना भूम्यामातुरो मुच्यते न हि ॥ २,२.

Without a protective circle on the ground, even with daily fire offerings, ancestral rites, and ritual foot washing by a twice-born, the sick person is not freed.

ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च श्रीर्हुताशस्तथैव च । मण्डले चोपतिष्ठन्ति तस्मात्कुर्वीत मण्डलम् ॥ २,२.

Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Śrī, and Agni are present within the circle; therefore, one should make the circle.

अन्यथा म्रियते वालो वृद्धस्तार्क्ष्ययुवाथवा । योन्यन्तरं न गच्छेत्स क्रीडते वायुना सह ॥ २,२.

Otherwise, the child, elder, or youth dies; he does not attain another birth, but instead wanders, playing with the wind.

मिश्रितं लोहितामिश्रं तदेवं जन्म जीयते । तस्यैव वायुभूतस्य न श्राद्धं नोदकक्रिया ॥ २,२.

Born mixed with blood and flesh, such a birth occurs; for one who has become wind, there is neither ancestral rite nor water offering.

मम स्वेदसमुद्भूतास्तिलास्तार्क्ष्य पवित्रकाः । असुरा दानवा दैत्या विद्रवन्ति तिलैस्तथा ॥ २,२.

O Tārkṣya, the sesame seeds arising from my sweat are pure; asuras, dānavas, and daityas flee from these seeds.

तिलाः श्वेतास्तिला कृष्णास्तिला गोमूत्रसंन्निभाः । दहन्तु ते मे पापानि शरीरेण कृतानि वै ॥ २,२.

Sesame seeds—white, black, and those resembling cow urine—may they burn away my sins committed with the body.

एक एव तिलो दत्तो हेमद्रोणतिलैः समः । तर्पणे दानहोमेषु दत्तो भवति चाक्षयः ॥ २,२.

A single sesame seed given is equal to a measure of gold sesame seeds; when given in offerings or rites, it becomes inexhaustible.

दर्भा रोमसमुद्भूतास्तिलाः स्वेदेषु नान्यथा । देवता दानवास्तृप्ताः श्राद्धेन पितरस्तथा ॥ २,२.

Darbha grass arises from hair, sesame from sweat, not otherwise; gods, dānavas, and ancestors are satisfied by ancestral rites.

प्रयोगविधिना ब्रह्मा विश्वं चाप्युपजीवनाम् । अपसव्यादितो ब्रह्मा पितरो देवदेवताः ॥ २,२.

By the prescribed method, Brahmā and the universe are nourished; from the left side, Brahmā, ancestors, gods, and deities are honored.

तेन ते पितरस्तृप्ता अपसव्ये कृते सति । दर्भमूले स्थितो ब्रह्मा मध्ये देवो जनार्दनः ॥ २,२.

Thus, the ancestors are satisfied when the left-side rite is performed; Brahmā stands at the root of darbha, and Janārdana is in the center as the deity.

दर्भाग्रे शङ्करं विद्यात्त्रयो देवाः कुशे स्मृताः । विप्रा मन्त्राः कुशा वह्निस्तुलसी च खगेश्वर ॥ २,२.

On the tip of darbha, one should know Śaṅkara; three gods are remembered in kuśa grass. O lord of birds, brahmins, mantras, kuśa, fire, and tulasī are present.

नैते निर्माल्यतां यान्ति क्रियमाणाः पुनः पुनः । तुलसी ब्राह्मणा गावो विष्णुरेकादशी खग ॥ २,२.

These are never rendered impure, even when used repeatedly: tulasī, brahmins, cows, Viṣṇu, and the eleventh day, O bird.

पञ्च प्रवहणान्ये भवाब्धौ मज्जतां नृणाम् । विष्णुरेकादशी गीता तुलसी विप्रधेनवः ॥ २,२.

Five vessels carry men across the ocean of existence: Viṣṇu, the eleventh day, the Gītā, tulasī, brahmins, and cows.

असारे दुर्गसंसारे षट्पदी मुक्तिदायिनी । तिलाः पवित्रमतुलं दर्भाश्चापि तुलस्यथ ॥ २,२.

In the harsh, difficult world, the sixfold path grants liberation; sesame, darbha, and tulasī are matchless purifiers.

$ निवारयन्ति चैतानि दुर्गतिं यान्तमातुरम् । हस्ताभ्यामुद्धरेद्दर्भांस्तोयेन प्रोक्षयेद्भुवि ॥ २,२.

These prevent misfortune for the dying; one should lift darbha with the hands and sprinkle it with water upon the earth.

मृत्युकाले क्षिपेद्दर्भान्करयोरातुरस्य च । दर्भैस्तु क्षिप्यते योऽसौ दर्भैस्तु परिवेष्टितः ॥ २,२.

At the time of death, darbha should be placed in the hands of the sick; the one who is placed with darbha and surrounded by darbha is carried away by it.

विष्णुलोके स वै याति मन्त्रहीनोऽपि मानवः । तूलीं कृत्वा कृतौ पादौ संस्थितौ क्षितिपृष्ठतः ॥ २,२.

Even without mantras, a person thus goes to Viṣṇu's realm; having made a cushion, with feet placed upon the earth.

प्रायाश्चित्तं विशुद्धाग्नौ संसारेऽसारसागरे । गोमयेनोपलिम्पेत्तु दर्भास्तरणसंस्थिते ॥ २,२.

A rite of atonement should be performed with pure fire in this ocean of worldly existence devoid of essence; one should anoint the ground with cow dung and arrange darbha grass as a seat.

यने दत्तेन दानेन सर्वं पापं व्यपोहति । लवणं तद्रसं दिव्यं सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम् ॥ २,२.

By giving this as a gift, all sin is removed; that salt, with its divine taste, grants all desires to people.

यस्मादन्नरसाः सर्वे नोत्कटा लवणं विना । पितॄणां च प्रियं भव्यं तस्मात्स्वर्गप्रदं भवेत् ॥ २,२.

Because all flavors of food are not pleasing without salt, and it is dear and auspicious to the ancestors, therefore it bestows heaven.

विष्णुदेहसमुद्भूतो यतोऽयं लवणो रसः । एतत्सलवणं दानं तेन शंसन्ति योगिनः ॥ २,२.

Since this essence of salt arose from the body of Vishnu, the yogis praise the giving of this salt as a gift.

ब्राह्मणक्षत्त्रियविशां स्त्रीणां शूद्रजनस्य च । आतुरस्य यदा प्राणा न यान्ति वसुधातले ॥ २,२.

When the life-breath does not depart from the body for Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, women, Shudras, and the sick—

लवणं तु तदा देयं द्वारस्योद्वाटनं दिवः । अन्यच्च शृणु पक्षीन्द्र मृत्यो रूपं प्रपञ्चतः ॥ २,२.

—then salt should be given, and the threshold of the house should be smeared with it; and now, O king of birds, listen further as I describe the form of death in detail.

यस्य कालेन नो यायाद्वियोगः प्राणदेहयोः । प्राणिनश्च स्वसमये मृत्युरत्यन्तविस्मृतिः ॥ २,२.

For whom, at the appointed time, the separation of life and body does not occur, for living beings, death at its proper time is an utter loss of memory.

यथा वायुर्जलधरान्विकर्षति यतस्ततः । तद्वज्जलदवत्तार्क्ष्य कालस्यैव वशानुगाः ॥ २,२.

Just as the wind drives the clouds from place to place, so too, O Tārkṣya, beings are subject to the power of time, like water held by clouds.