Garuda Purana

देवताभ्यः पितॄणां हि पूर्वमाप्यायनं शुभम् । ये यजन्ति पितॄन्देवान्ब्राह्मणांश्च हुताशनम् ॥ २,१०.

Indeed, the first and auspicious replenishment is for the ancestors before the gods; those who worship the ancestors, the gods, the Brahmins, and the sacred fire—

सर्वभूतान्तरात्मानं मामेव हि यजन्ति ते । स्मार्तेन विधिना श्राद्धं कृत्वा स्वविभवोचितम् ॥ २,१०.

They worship Me alone, the inner Self of all beings, by performing the śrāddha according to the prescribed rite and to the best of their ability.

आब्राह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तं जगत्प्रीणाति मानवः । अन्नप्रकिरणं यत्तु मनुष्यैः क्रियते भुवि ॥ २,१०.

Whatever scattering of food is performed on earth by humans gladdens the world from Brahmā down to the blade of grass.

तेन तृप्तिमुपायान्ति ये पिशाचत्वमागताः । यच्चाम्बुः स्नानवस्त्रेभ्यो भूमौ पतति खेचर ॥ २,१०.

By that, those who have become spirits (piśācas) attain satisfaction; and whatever water from bathing or washing falls to the ground, O sky-roaming one,

तेन ये तरुतां प्राप्तास्तेषां तृप्तिः प्रजायते । यानि गन्धाम्बूनि चैव पतन्ति धरणीतले ॥ २,१०.

By that, those who have taken birth as trees find satisfaction; and whatever fragrant waters fall upon the surface of the earth,

तेन चाप्यायनं तेषां ये देवत्वमुपागताः । ये चापि स्वकुलाद्बाह्याः क्रियायोग्या ह्यसंस्कृताः ॥ २,१०.

By that, replenishment comes also to those who have attained divinity; and those who are outside their own lineage, unfit for rites, and uninitiated—

विपन्नास्ते तु विकिरसंमार्जनजलाशिनः । भुक्त्वा चाचमनं यच्च जलं यच्चाह्नि सेवितम् ॥ २,१०.

Those who have fallen, who subsist on scattered offerings, sweepings, and water, and whatever water is left after eating and sipping, and whatever is consumed during the day—

ब्राह्मणानां तथैवान्यत्तेन तृप्तिं प्रयान्ति वै । पिशाचत्वमनुप्राप्ताः कृमिकीटत्वमेव ये ॥ २,१०.

By that, Brahmins and others, even those who have become spirits or taken birth as worms and insects, attain satisfaction.

उद्धृतेष्वन्नपिण्डेषु भुवि ये चान्नकाङ्क्षिणः । तैरेवाप्यायनं तेषां ये मनुष्यत्वमागताः ॥ २,१०.

When rice-balls are offered and there are those on earth who desire food, by those very offerings, those who have attained human birth are replenished.

एवं वै क्रियमाणानां तेषां चैव द्विजन्मनाम् । कश्चिज्जलान्नविक्षेपः शुचिरुच्छिष्ट एव वा ॥ २,१०.

Thus, when these rites are performed for twice-born ancestors, any scattering of water or food, whether pure or leftover,

तेनान्नेन कुले तेषां ये वै जात्यन्तरं गताः । भवत्याप्यायनं तेषां सम्यक्श्राद्धे कृते सति ॥ २,१०.

By that food, those in the family who have taken another birth are replenished, when the śrāddha is properly performed.

अन्यायोपार्जितैर्द्रव्यैर्यच्छ्राद्धं क्रियते नरैः । तकृप्यन्ति तेन चण्डालाः पुक्कसाद्युपयोनिषु ॥ २,१०.

If śrāddha is performed by men with wealth acquired unjustly, then outcastes and those born in degraded wombs are satisfied by it.

एवं संप्राप्यते पक्षिन् यद्दत्तमिह बान्धवैः । श्राद्धं कुर्वद्भिरन्नाम्वुशाकैस्तृप्तिर्हि जायते ॥ २,१०.

Thus, O bird, whatever is given here by relatives—when śrāddha is performed with food and vegetables—brings satisfaction.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि । सद्यो देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्विलंबेनावनीतले ॥ २,१०.

All this has been explained to you, as you have asked me; whether the attainment of another body is immediate or delayed on earth.

पृष्टवानसि तत्तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि समासतः । सद्यो विलम्बतञ्चैवोभयथापि कलेवरम् ॥ २,१०.

You have asked, and I shall tell you concisely about both—whether the body is changed immediately or after some delay.

यतो हि मर्त्यः प्राप्नोति तद्विशेषञ्च मे शृणु । अधूमकज्योतिरिवाङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुमांस्ततः ॥ २,१०.

Hear from me what special thing a mortal attains; just as a smokeless flame, a person the size of a thumb emerges.

देहमेकं सद्य एव वायवीयं प्रपद्यते । यथा नृणजलौका हि पश्चत्पादं तदोद्धरेत् ॥ २,१०.

He immediately assumes a single airy body; just as a leech, after feeding, withdraws its hind part.

स्थितिरग्र्यस्य पादस्य यदा जाता दृढा भवेत् । एवं देही पूर्वदेहं समुत्सृजति तं यदा ॥ २,१०.

When the firm stability of the foremost foot arises, then the embodied soul abandons the previous body at that time.

भोगार्थमग्रे स्याद्देहो वायवीय उपस्थितः । विषयग्राहकं यद्वन्म्रियमाणस्य चेन्द्रियम् ॥ २,१०.

For the sake of enjoyment, a body composed of air appears first, just as the dying person's sense organ grasps objects.

निर्व्यापारं तच्च देहे वायुनैव स गच्छति । शरीरं यदवाप्नोति तच्चाप्युत्क्वम्यति स्वयम् ॥ २,१०.

That body, being inactive, departs from the physical body solely by means of air; whatever body it attains, it also leaves that of its own accord.

गृहीत्वा स्वं विनिर्याति जीवो गर्भ ईवाशयात् । उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् ॥ २,१०.

The soul departs, taking its own (subtle body), just as a fetus leaves the womb; whether departing, remaining, or enjoying, it is endowed with qualities.

विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः । आतिवाहिकमित्येवं वायवीयं वदन्ति हि ॥ २,१०.

The deluded do not perceive it, but those with the eye of knowledge do; thus, it is called 'ātivāhika' or 'airy', as they say.

एवं तु यातुधानानां तमेव च वदन्ति हि । सुपर्ण ईदृशो देहो नृणां भवति पिण्डजः ॥ २,१०.

In this way, they speak of the same for the yātudhānas; O Suparna, such a body arises for humans, produced from the piṇḍa.

पुत्रादिभिः कृताश्चेत्स्युः पिण्डा दश दशाहिकाः । पिण्डजेन तु देहेन वायुजश्चैकतां व्रजेत् ॥ २,१०.

If ten piṇḍas are offered by sons and others during the ten days, then the piṇḍaja body unites with the airy body.

पिण्डजो यदि नैव स्याद्वायुजोऽर्हति यातनाम् । देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा । तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिः पक्षीन्द्रेत्यवधारय ॥ २,१०.

If the piṇḍaja body does not exist, the airy body undergoes suffering; just as in this body, childhood, youth, and old age occur for the embodied soul, so too the attainment of another body, O king of birds, understand thus.

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोपराणि । तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥ २,१०.

Just as a man discards worn-out garments and takes up new ones, so the embodied soul leaves behind worn-out bodies and enters new ones.

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥ २,१०.

Weapons do not cut him, fire does not burn him, waters do not wet him, and wind does not dry him.

वायवीयां तनुं याति सद्य इत्युक्तमेव ते । प्राप्तिर्विलंबतो यस्य तं देहं खलु मे शृणु ॥ २,१०.

It has been said to you that he immediately attains an airy body; but if the attainment is delayed, listen to me about that body.

क्वचिद्विलंबतो देहं पिण्डजं स समाप्नुयात् । अथो गतो याम्यलोकं स्वीयकर्मानुसारतः ॥ २,१०.

Sometimes, he attains the piṇḍaja body after a delay; then, having gone to the realm of Yama according to his own actions,