Garuda Purana

कृत्त्यासीनन्तत्तीर्थगतं रक्षन्ति वनदेवताः । यमदूता विशेषेण न याम्यास्तस्य पार्श्वगाः ॥ २,३६.

Forest deities especially protect one who, with a shaven head, has gone to a sacred place; the messengers of Yama do not approach him.

तीर्थसेवी नरो यस्तु सर्वकिल्बिषवर्जितः । तत्र म्रियते दह्येत तत्तीर्थफलभाग्भवेत् ॥ २,३६.

A man who serves a sacred place, free from all sins, and dies there, is burned and becomes a recipient of the fruit of that sacred place.

सेवितेऽपि सदा तथि ह्यन्यत्र म्रियते यदि । शुभे देशे कुले धीमान् स भवेद्वेदविद्द्विजः ॥ २,३६.

Even if one always serves a sacred place but dies elsewhere, he is born as a wise Brahmin, learned in the Vedas, in a good land and family.

कृत्वा निरशनं तार्क्ष्य पुनर्जीवति मानवः । ब्राह्मणान् स समाहूय सर्वस्वं यत्परित्यजेत् ॥ २,३६.

Having performed fasting, O Tarkshya, if a man lives again, he should summon Brahmins and give away all his possessions.

चान्द्रायणं चरेत्कृत्स्नमनुज्ञातश्च तैर्द्विजैः । अनृतं न वदेत्पश्चाद्धर्ममेव समाचरेत् ॥ २,३६.

He should perform the full Chandrayana vow, having been permitted by those Brahmins, and afterwards should not speak falsehood but act only according to dharma.

तीर्थे गत्वा च यः कोऽपि पुनरायाति वै गृहम् । अनुज्ञातः स वै विप्रैः प्रायश्चित्तमथाचरेत् ॥ २,३६.

Whoever, having gone to a sacred place, returns home, should, with the permission of the Brahmins, perform expiation.

दत्त्वा वा स्वर्णदानानि गोमहीगजवाजिनः । तीर्थं यदि लभेद्यस्तु मृत्युकाले स भाग्यवान् ॥ २,३६.

If, at the time of death, someone gives gifts of gold, cows, land, elephants, or horses, and attains a sacred place, he is fortunate.

गृहात्प्रचलितस्तीर्थं मरणे समुपस्थिते । पदेपदे तु गोदानं यदि हिंसा न जायते ॥ २,३६.

If, when death is near, one sets out from home for a sacred place, and at every step gives a cow, then no harm arises.

गृहे तु यत्कृतं पापं तीर्थस्नानेन शुध्यति । कुरुते तत्र पापञ्चेद्वज्रलेपसमं हि तत् ॥ २,३६.

The sin committed at home is purified by bathing in a sacred place; but if one commits sin there, it is as if covered with adamant.

क्लिश्येत्स नात्र सन्देहो यावच्चन्द्रार्कतारकम् । तत्र दत्तानि दानानि जायन्ते चाक्षयाणि वै ॥ २,३६.

There is no doubt that one will suffer as long as the moon, sun, and stars endure; but the gifts given there become truly imperishable.

आतुरे सति दातव्यं निर्धनैरपि मानवैः । गावस्तिला हिरण्यञ्च सप्तधान्यं विशेषतः ॥ २,३६.

When someone is ill, even those who are poor should give—especially cows, sesame seeds, gold, and the seven kinds of grain.

दानवन्तं नरं दृष्ट्वा हृष्टाः सर्वे दिवौकसः । ऋषिभिः सह धर्मण चित्रगुप्तेन सर्वदा ॥ २,३६.

When the gods see a generous person, they rejoice along with the sages, Dharma, and Citragupta—always.

आत्मायत्तं धनं यावत्तावद्विप्रे समर्पयेत् । पराधीनं मृते सर्वं कृपया कः प्रदास्यति ॥ २,३६.

As long as wealth is under one's own control, it should be offered to a Brahmin; once it is no longer one's own, who will give it out of compassion after death?

पित्रुद्देशेन यः पुत्त्रैर्धनं विप्रकरेऽर्पितम् । आत्मानं सधनं तेन चक्रे पुत्रप्रपौत्रकैः ॥ २,३६.

Whatever wealth is offered by sons to a Brahmin for the sake of their father, with that, he is established—along with his wealth—by sons and grandsons.

पितुः शतगुणं दत्तं सहस्रं मातुरुच्यते । भगिन्या शतसाहस्रं सोदर्ये दत्तमक्षयम् ॥ २,३६.

A gift made for the father is said to be a hundredfold, for the mother a thousandfold, and for a sister of the same womb, a hundred thousandfold and imperishable.

यदि लोभान्न यच्छन्ति प्रमादान्मोहतोऽपि वा । मृताः शोचन्ति ते सर्वे कदर्याः पापिनस्त्विति ॥ २,३६.

If, out of greed, carelessness, or delusion, they do not give, then all those stingy and sinful ones grieve after death.

अतिक्लेशेन लब्धस्य प्रकृत्या चञ्चलस्य च । गतिरेकैव वित्तस्य दानमन्या विपत्तयः ॥ २,३६.

Wealth, obtained with great effort and by its nature unstable, has only one true course: giving; all other paths lead to ruin.

मृत्युः शरीगोप्तारं वसुरक्षं वसुन्धरा । दुश्चारिणीव हसति स्वपतिं पुत्रवत्सलम् ॥ २,३६.

Death laughs at the protector of the body, at the hoarder of wealth, and at the earth itself, just as a wicked wife laughs at her loving husband.

उदासे धार्मिकः सौम्यः प्राप्यापि विपुलं धनम् । तृणवन्मन्यते तार्क्ष्य आत्मानं वित्तमप्यथ ॥ २,३६.

O Tārkṣya, a righteous and gentle person, even after obtaining great wealth, regards both himself and his riches as mere straw.

न चैवोपद्रवास्तस्य मोहजालो न चैव हि । मृत्युकाले न च भयं यमदूतसमुद्भवम् ॥ २,३६.

He has no troubles, no net of delusion, and at the time of death, no fear arising from the messengers of Yama.

समाः सहस्राणि च सप्त वै जले दशैकमग्नौ पवने च षोडश । महाहवे पष्टिरशीतिर्गोगृहे अनाशके काश्यप चाक्षया गतिः ॥ २,३६.

For seven thousand years in water, eleven in fire, sixteen in wind, eighty-six in a great battle, and countless in a cowshed or famine, O Kāśyapa, the result is imperishable.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ३७ तार्क्ष्य उवाच । उदकुम्भप्रदानं मे कथयस्व यथातथम् । विधिना केन कर्तव्या कृतिरेषा जनार्दन ॥ २,३७.

Tārkṣya said: Tell me in detail about the giving of water-pots—by what method should this rite be performed, O Janārdana?

किंलक्षणाः केन पूर्णाः कस्य देया जनार्दन । कस्मिन् काले प्रदातव्या प्रेततृप्तिप्रसाधकाः ॥ २,३७.

What are their characteristics, with what should they be filled, to whom should they be given, O Janārdana? At what time should they be offered to satisfy the departed?

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । सत्यं पुनः प्रवक्ष्यामि उदकुम्भप्रदानकम् । प्रेतोद्देशेन दातव्या अन्नपानीयसंयुताः । विशेषेण महापक्षिन् प्रेतमुक्तिप्रदायकाः ॥ २,३७.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Truly, I will again explain the giving of water-pots. They should be given for the sake of the departed, filled with food and drink, and especially, O great bird, they grant liberation to the departed.

द्वादशाहे च पण्मासे त्रैपक्षे वापि वत्सरे । उदकुम्भाः प्रदातव्या मार्गे तस्य सुखाय वै ॥ २,३७.

On the twelfth day, in the sixth month, every third fortnight, or in the year, water-pots should be given for the comfort of the departed on their journey.

अहन्यहनि दातव्या उदकुम्भास्तिलैर्युताः । सुलिप्ते भूमिभागे तु पक्कान्नजलपूरिताः ॥ २,३७.

Every day, water-pots mixed with sesame seeds should be given, placed on well-smeared ground, and filled with cooked food and water.

प्रेतस्य तत्र दातव्यं भाजनञ्च यदृच्छया । सुप्रीतस्तेन दत्तेन प्रेतो याम्यैः स गच्छति ॥ २,३७.

For the departed, a vessel should be given there as one is able; the departed, pleased with that gift, goes with the messengers of Yama.

द्वादशाहे विशेषेण उदकम्भान् प्रदापयेत् । विधिना तत्र सङ्कल्पय घटान् द्वादशसंख्यकान् ॥ २,३७.

On the twelfth day, in particular, one should offer water-pots; according to the prescribed rite, make a resolve there for twelve pots.

एकाषि बर्धनी तत्र पक्वान्नफलपूरिता । विष्णुमुद्दिश्य दातव्या संकल्प्य ब्राह्मणे शुभे ॥ २,३७.

There, one large vessel filled with cooked food and fruit should be given, having resolved to dedicate it to Viṣṇu, to an auspicious brāhmaṇa.