किमर्थं पुत्रपुत्राश्च तस्य तिष्ठन्ति चाग्रतः । किमर्थं दीपदानञ्च किमर्थं विष्णुपूजनम् ॥ २,२८.
For what reason do his sons and grandsons stand before him? For what purpose is the offering of lamps, and for what reason is the worship of Viṣṇu performed?
किमर्थमातुरो दानं ददाति द्विजपुङ्गवे । बन्धून्मित्राण्यमित्रांश्च क्षमापयति तत्कथम् ॥ २,२८.
For what purpose does a sick man give gifts to the best of the twice-born? Why does he seek forgiveness from relatives, friends, and even enemies, and how is this done?
तिला लोहं हिरण्यं च कार्पासं लवणं तथा । सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गावो दीयते केन हे तुना ॥ २,२८.
Why are sesame seeds, iron, gold, cotton, salt, the seven grains, land, and cows given, and by whom are these offered?
कथं च म्रियते जन्तुर्मृतस्य च कुतो गतिः । अतिवाहशरीरं च कथं विश्रमते तदा ॥ २,२८.
How does a living being die, and what is the destination of the deceased? How does the subtle body rest at that time?
शंव स्कन्धे वहेत्पुत्रो वह्निदाता च पौत्रकः । किमर्थं देव देवेश आज्येनाभ्यञ्जनं कुतः ॥ २,२८.
Why does the son carry the body on his shoulder, and the grandson offer fire? O Lord of gods, for what reason is the body anointed with ghee?
यमसूक्तं किमर्थं च उदीचीं दिशमाहरेत् । पानीयमेकवस्त्रेण सूर्यबिम्बनिरीक्षणम् ॥ २,२८.
For what purpose is the Yama hymn recited, and why is the northern direction invoked? Why is water given with a single garment, and why is the sun’s disk gazed upon?
यवसर्षपदूर्वाश्चपाषाणे निम्बचर्वणम् । वस्त्रं नरश्च नारी च विदध्यादधरोत्तरम् ॥ २,२८.
Why are barley, mustard seeds, and dūrvā grass placed on a stone, and why is neem chewed? Why should a man and a woman wear lower and upper garments?
अन्नाद्यं गृहमागत्य भोक्तव्यं गोत्रिभिः सह । नवकानि च पिण्डानि किमर्थं वितरेत्सुतः ॥ २,२८.
Why should food and drink be consumed at home together with kinsmen? For what reason does the son offer nine balls of rice?
किमर्थं चत्वरे दुग्धं पात्रे पक्वे च मृन्मये । काष्ठत्रयं गुणे बद्ध्वा कृत्वा रात्रौ चतुष्पथे ॥ २,२८.
For what reason is milk placed at the crossroads in an earthen vessel? Why are three pieces of wood tied together and placed at the four-way crossing at night?
निशायां दीयते दीपो यावदब्दं दिनेदिने । दाहोदकं किमर्थं च संवादः स्वजनैः सह ॥ २,२८.
Why is a lamp lit at night every day for a year? For what purpose is water offered, and why is there conversation with one’s own people?
भगवन्नतिवाहस्य नवपिण्डैस्तु किं भवेत् । कथं देवपितृभ्यश्च वाहस्यावाहनं कथम् । इदं च क्रियते देव कस्मात्पिण्डं प्रदापयेत् ॥ २,२८.
O Lord, what happens for the departed with the offering of nine rice balls? How is the invocation of gods and ancestors performed for the departed, and why should this rice ball offering be made?
किं तत्प्रदीयते तस्य पिण्डदानादनन्तरम् । अस्थिसञ्चयनं चैव शय्यादानं किमर्थकम् ॥ २,२८.
What is given after the offering of rice balls, and for what reason is the gathering of bones and the preparation of a bed performed?
द्वितीयेऽह्नि कुतः स्नानं चतुर्थे साग्निके द्विजे । दशमे किं मलस्नानं कार्यं सर्वजनैः सह ॥ २,२८.
Why is there bathing on the second day, and for the twice-born with fire on the fourth day? On the tenth day, why should all people bathe to remove impurity?
कस्मात्तैलोद्वर्तनं च स्कन्धवाहान् गृहं नयेत् । तैः समुद्वर्तनं चापि दद्युः स्थलजलाश्रये ॥ २,२८.
For what reason should oil be applied, and the bearers of the body brought home? Why should they be anointed by them at a place with earth and water?
देशमेऽहनि यः पिण्डस्तं दद्यादामिषेण तु । पिण्डं चैकादशे कस्माद्वृषोत्सर्गः कथं भवेत् ॥ २,२८.
On which day should the rice ball be given with meat, and why is the rice ball offered on the eleventh day? How is the release of a bull performed?
श्राद्धानि षोडशैतानि अब्दं यावत्कुतो वद । अन्नादिचोदकेनैव षष्ट्यधिकशतत्रयम् ॥ २,२८.
Tell me, why are these sixteen śrāddha rites performed for a year? And why are one hundred and sixty-three offerings of food and water made?
दिनेदिने च दातव्यं घटान्नं प्रेततृप्तये । प्राप्ते काले च म्रियते अनित्यो मानवः प्रभो ॥ २,२८.
Why should cooked food be given daily in a pot for the satisfaction of the departed? O Lord, when the time comes, mortal man dies, being impermanent.
छिद्रं तु नैव पश्यामि कुतो जीवः स निर्गतः । कुतो गच्छन्ति भूतानि पृथिव्यापो मनस्तथा ॥ २,२८.
I do not see any opening—so from where does the soul depart? Where do the elements—earth, water, and mind—go?
तेजो वदस्व मे नाथ वायुराकाशमेव च । वायवश्चैव पञ्चैते कथं गच्छन्ति चाप्तये ॥ २,२८.
O Lord, tell me about fire, wind, and space, and also about the five winds—how do they depart at the time of death?
लोभमोहादयः पञ्च शरीरे चैव तस्कराः । तृष्णा कामोऽप्यहङ्कारः कुतो यान्ति जनार्दन ॥ २,२८.
The five thieves in the body—greed, delusion, thirst, desire, and ego—O Janardana, where do they go?
पुण्यं वाप्यथ वापुण्यं यत्किञ्चित्सुकृतं तथा । नष्टे देहे कुतो यान्ति दानानि विविधानि च ॥ २,२८.
Whatever merit or demerit, or any good deed, and the various gifts—when the body is destroyed, where do they go?
सपिण्डनं किमर्थं च पूर्णे संवत्सरेऽपि वा । प्रेतस्य मेलनं सार्धं कैः समं तत्र को विधिः ॥ २,२८.
What is the purpose of the sapiṇḍa ceremony, whether at the completion of a year or earlier? With whom is the departed joined there, and what is the rule?
ये दग्धा ये त्वदग्धाश्च पतिता ये नराभुवि । यानि चान्यानि भूतानि तेषामन्ते भवेच्च किम् ॥ २,२८.
Those men who are burned, those who are not, those who have fallen on earth, and other beings—what becomes of them in the end?
पापिनो ये दुराचारा मुद्गलत्वं च ये गताः । आत्मघाती ब्रह्महा च स्तेयी विश्वासघातकः ॥ २,२८.
What is the fate of sinners, those of evil conduct, those who have become outcastes, suicides, slayers of Brahmins, thieves, and betrayers of trust?
कपिलां यः पिबेच्छूद्रो यः पठेद्वैदिकाक्षरम् । धारयेद्वा ब्रह्मसूत्रं का गतिस्तस्य माधव ॥ २,२८.
What is the destiny, O Mādhava, of a Śūdra who drinks the milk of a tawny cow, who recites Vedic syllables, or who wears the sacred thread?
विप्रस्य ब्राह्मणी भार्या संगृही ता यदा भवेत् । तस्मात्पापाच्च भीतोऽहं तन्मे वद जगत्पते । सर्वमेतन्मया पृष्टो वद लोकहिताय वै ॥ २,२८.
When a Brahmin's wife is taken by another, what is the sin, O Lord of the world? I am afraid of that sin—tell me. I have asked all this; speak for the good of all people.
श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २९ श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र मानुषाणां हिताय वै । शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वमेवौर्ध्वदैहिकम् ॥ २,२९.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Well asked by you, O fortunate one, for the welfare of humanity. Listen attentively as I explain all the rites after death.
कम्यग्विभेदरहितं श्रुतिस्मृतिसमुद्धृतम् । यन्न दृष्टं सुरैः सेन्द्रैर्योगिभिर्योगचिन्तकैः ॥ २,२९.
What I will tell you is free from selfish motive, drawn from the Vedas and Smṛtis, and not seen even by the gods with Indra, nor by yogis absorbed in meditation.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं वत्स नाख्यातं कस्यचित्क्वचित् । भक्तस्त्वं हि महाभाग सर्वं ते कथयाम्यहम् ॥ २,२९.
This is more secret than the most secret, my child, never revealed to anyone, anywhere. Because you are a devoted and blessed one, I will tell you everything.
अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गो नैव च नैव च । येन केनाप्युपायेन कार्यं जन्म सुतस्य च ॥ २,२९.
One without a son has no path, no heaven at all. By any means, the birth of a son must be ensured.