Garuda Purana

हव्येन तर्पिता देवाः कव्येन पितरस्तथा । विविधैर्दानयोगैश्च विप्राः सन्तर्पिता मया ॥ २,२७.

I satisfied the gods with offerings, the ancestors with oblations, and the Brahmins with various acts of charity.

आवाहाश्च विवाहाश्च मया वै सुनिवेशिताः । दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा ॥ २,२७.

I properly performed both invitations and marriages, and I gave many gifts to the poor, the helpless, and the distinguished.

तत्सर्वं विफलं तात मम दैवादुपागतम् । यथा मे निष्फलं जातं सुकृतं तद्वदामि ते ॥ २,२७.

All that, O dear one, has become fruitless for me due to fate. I will tell you how my good deeds have come to nothing.

न मेऽस्ति सन्ततिस्तात न सुहृन्न च बान्धवः । न च मित्रं हि मे तादृग्यः कुर्यादौर्ध्वदैहिकम् ॥ २,२७.

I have no offspring, no friend, nor any relative. I have no companion who would perform the funeral rites for me.

प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तेन मम जातं नृपोत्तम । एकादशं त्रिपक्षं च षाण्मासिकमथाब्दिकम् । प्रतिमास्यानि चान्यानि एवं श्राद्धानि षोडश ॥ २,२७.

Therefore, O best of kings, my state as a ghost has become fixed. The eleventh-day, fortnightly, six-month, yearly, and other monthly rites—thus, there are sixteen funeral offerings.

यस्यैतानि न दीयन्ते प्रेतश्राद्धानि भूपते । प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तस्य दत्तैः श्राद्धशतैरपि ॥ २,२७.

O king, for whom these funeral offerings are not given, his ghosthood remains firm, even if hundreds of offerings are made by others.

एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज प्रेतत्वादुद्धरस्व माम् । वर्णानां चापि सर्वेषां राजा बन्धुरिहोच्यते ॥ २,२७.

Knowing this, O great king, deliver me from this ghostly state. The king is called the kinsman of all castes here.

तन्मां तारय राजेन्द्र मणिरत्नं ददामि ते । यथा मम शुभावाप्तिर्भवेन्नृपवरोत्तम ॥ २,२७.

Therefore, O king of kings, save me; I will give you a jewel. So that I may attain auspiciousness, O best of kings.

तथा कार्यं महाबाहो कृपा यदि मयीष्यते । आत्मनश्च कुरु क्षिप्रं सर्वमेवौर्ध्वेदैहिकम् ॥ २,२७.

Thus should it be done, O mighty-armed one, if you have compassion for me. And quickly perform all the funeral rites for me yourself.

नृपतिरुवाच । कथं प्रेता भवन्तीह कृतैरप्यौर्ध्वदैहिकैः । पिशाचाश्च भवन्तीह कर्मभिः कैश्च तद्वद ॥ २,२७.

The King said: How do people become ghosts here, even when funeral rites are performed? And by what actions do they become piśācas? Tell me that as well.

प्रेत उवाच । देवद्रव्यं च ब्रह्मस्वं स्त्रीबालधनसञ्चयम् । ये हरन्ति नृपश्रेष्ठ प्रेतयोनिं व्रजन्ति ते ॥ २,२७.

The Preta said: O best of kings, those who steal temple property, Brahmin wealth, or the possessions of women and children, they enter the womb of ghosts.

तापसीं च सगोत्रां च अगम्यां ये भजन्ति हि । भवन्ति ते महाप्रेता अम्बुजानि हरन्ति ये ॥ २,२७.

Those who approach ascetic women of their own lineage, or forbidden women, become great ghosts; and those who steal lotuses also become such.

प्रवालवज्रहर्तारो ये च वस्त्रापहारकाः । तथा हिरण्यहर्तारः संयुगेऽसन्मुखागताः ॥ २,२७.

Those who steal bark garments, thunderbolts, or clothes, as well as those who steal gold, and those who flee from battle when confronted—

कृतघ्ना नास्तिका रौद्रास्तथा साहसिका नराः । पञ्चयज्ञविनिर्मुक्ता महादानरताश्च ये ॥ २,२७.

Those who are ungrateful, atheists, fierce, and reckless, who are exempt from the five sacrifices, and who are devoted to great gifts—

स्वामिद्रोहकरा मित्रब्राह्मद्रोहकराश्च ये । तीर्थपापकरा राजञ्जायन्ते प्रेतयोनयः । एवमाद्या महाराज जायन्ते प्रेतयोनयः ॥ २,२७.

Those who betray their master, who harm friends and Brahmins, who commit sins at holy places, O King, are born in the realm of spirits; thus, O great King, such as these are born in the realm of spirits.

राजोवाच । कथं मुक्ता भवन्तीह प्रेतत्वात्त्वं च तेऽपि च । कथं चापि मया कार्यमौर्ध्वदैहिकमात्मनः । विधिना केन तत्कार्यं सर्वमेतद्वदस्व मे ॥ २,२७.

The king said: How do these become freed here from being spirits, and how can I perform the posthumous rites for myself? By what method should all this be done? Tell me everything.

प्रेत उवाच । शृणु राजेन्द्र संक्षेपाद्विधिं नारायणात्मकम् । सच्छास्त्रश्रवणं विष्णोः पूजा सज्जनसंगतिः ॥ २,२७.

The spirit said: Listen, O king, in brief, to the method rooted in Nārāyaṇa: hearing true scriptures, worship of Viṣṇu, and association with virtuous people.

प्रेतयोनिविनाशाय भवन्तीति मया श्रुतम् । अतो वक्ष्यामि ते विष्णुपूजां प्रेतत्वनाशिनीम् ॥ २,२७.

I have heard that these bring about the destruction of the spirit condition; therefore, I will tell you the worship of Viṣṇu that destroys the state of being a spirit.

सुवर्णद्वयमाहृत्य मूर्तिं भूप प्रकल्पयेत् । नारायणस्य देवस्य सर्वाभरणभूषिताम् ॥ २,२७.

Having obtained two pieces of gold, the king should fashion an image of Nārāyaṇa, the divine one, adorned with all ornaments.

पीतवस्त्रयुगाच्छन्नां चन्दनागुरुचर्चिताम् । स्नापयेद्विविधैस्तोयैरधिवास्य यजेत्ततः ॥ २,२७.

Clothed in two yellow garments, anointed with sandalwood and agarwood, the image should be bathed with various waters, then consecrated and worshipped.

पूर्वे तु श्रीधरं देवं दक्षिणे मधुसूदनम् । पश्चिमे वानमं देवमुत्तरे च गदाधरम् ॥ २,२७.

In the east, Śrīdhara should be worshipped; in the south, Madhusūdana; in the west, Vānama; and in the north, Gadādhara.

मध्ये पितामहं पूज्य तथा देवं महेश्वरम् । पूजयेच्च विधानेन गन्धपुष्पादिभिः पृथक् ॥ २,२७.

In the center, Pitāmaha and Maheśvara should be worshipped; each deity should be worshipped separately with fragrances, flowers, and so forth, according to the proper method.

ततः प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य अग्नौ सन्तर्प्य देवताः । घृतेन दध्ना क्षीरेण विश्वान्देवांस्तथा नृप ॥ २,२७.

Then, after circumambulating, the deities should be satisfied in the fire with ghee, curd, and milk, O king, and all the gods likewise.

ततः स्नातो विनीतात्मा यजमानः समाहितः । नारायणाग्रे विधिवत्स्वक्रियामौर्ध्वदैहिकीम् ॥ २,२७.

Then, purified and self-controlled, the sacrificer, with concentration, should properly perform his own posthumous rites before Nārāyaṇa.

आरभेत विनीतात्मा क्रोधलोभविवर्जितः । श्राद्धानि कुर्यात्सर्वाणि वृषस्योत्सर्जनं तथा ॥ २,२७.

With a humble mind, free from anger and greed, he should undertake all the śrāddha rites and the release of the bull.

त्रयोदशानां विप्राणां वस्त्रच्छत्राण्युपानहौ । अङ्गुलीयकमुक्तानि भाजनासनभोजनैः ॥ २,२७.

For thirteen Brahmins, garments, umbrellas, footwear, rings, pearls, vessels, seats, and food should be given.

सान्नाश्च सोदका देया घटाः प्रेतहिताय वै । शय्यादानमथो दत्त्वा घटं प्रेतस्य निर्वपेत् ॥ २,२७.

Cooked food and water should be given, and pots for the benefit of the spirit; after giving a bed, one should place the pot for the spirit.

नारायणेति सन्नाम संपुटस्थं समर्चयेत् । एवं कृत्वाथ विधिवच्छुभाशुभफलं लभेत् ॥ २,२७.

With the name 'Nārāyaṇa' placed within, one should worship it; having done this properly, one attains both auspicious and inauspicious results.

राजोवाच । कथं प्रेतघटं कुर्याद्दद्यात्केन विधानतः । ब्रूहि सर्वानुकम्पार्थं घटं प्रेतविमुक्तिदम् ॥ २,२७.

The king said: How should the spirit-pot be made and given, and by what method? Tell me, for the sake of universal compassion, about the pot that grants liberation from the spirit state.