Garuda Purana

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,

चित्रगुप्तस्यवाक्येन निरयाणि भुनक्ति सः । यातनाःसमवाप्याथ पशुपक्ष्यादिकीं तनुम् ॥ २,१०.

By the command of Citragupta, he experiences the hells; after undergoing punishments, he attains the body of animals, birds, and others.

या गृह्णाति नरः सा स्यान्मोहेन ममतास्पदम् । शुभाशुभं कर्मफलं भुक्त्वा मुच्यते मानवः ॥ २,१०.

Whatever body a man assumes becomes the seat of delusion and attachment; after enjoying the fruits of good and bad actions, the human is released.

गरुड उवाच । तीर्त्वा दुः खभवाम्भोधिं भवन्तं कथमाप्नुयात् । बहुपातकयुक्तोऽपि तद्वदस्व दयानिधे ॥ २,१०.

Garuda said: Having crossed the ocean of suffering and existence, how does one attain you, O Lord, even if burdened with many sins? Please tell me, O ocean of compassion.

भूयो दुः खस्य संसर्गो नरस्य न भवेद्यथा । ब्रूहि शुश्रूषमाणस्य पृच्छतो मे रमापते ॥ २,१०.

So that a man may not again be associated with suffering, tell me, O consort of Rama, as I ask and listen attentively.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । स्वेस्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः । स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥ २,१०.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: A man devoted to his own duties attains perfection; listen to how one who is engaged in his own actions attains success.

कर्मविभ्रष्टकालुष्यो वासुदेवानुचिन्तया । बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च ॥ २,१०.

One whose actions are corrupted and impure, by contemplating Vāsudeva, endowed with purified intellect and controlling himself with firmness,

शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च । विरक्तसेवी लब्ध्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः ॥ २,१०.

Having renounced the objects of the senses such as sound, and having cast aside attachment and aversion, one who is devoted to detachment, content with what is obtained, and who restrains speech, body, and mind—

ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैरग्यं समुपाश्रितः । अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् ॥ २,१०.

Always intent on the practice of meditation and yoga, firmly established in dispassion, having abandoned ego, strength, arrogance, desire, anger, and possessiveness—

विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते । अतः परं नृणां कृत्यं नास्ति कश्यपनन्दन ॥ २,१०.

Freed from the sense of 'mine,' peaceful, such a person becomes fit for union with Brahman; beyond this, O son of Kaśyapa, there is nothing further to be done by humans.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ११ गरुड उवाच । मानुषत्वं लभेत्कस्मान्मृत्युमाप्नोति तत्कथम् । म्रियते कः सुरश्रेष्ठ देहमाश्रित्य कुत्रचित् ॥ २,११.

Garuḍa said: How does one obtain human birth, and how does one meet with death? Who dies, O best of the gods, taking on a body, and where?