The Need for a Son, Sesame, Darbha, Tulasi and Salt

Verse 1 (garuda.2.29.1)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र मानुषाणां हिताय वै । शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वमेवौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ tvayā bhadra mānuṣāṇāṁ hitāya vai śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvamevaurdhvadaihikam

Shri Krishna said: "Well asked, good one, for the benefit of mankind. Listen attentively to the entire rite of the after-death rites."

Verse 2 (garuda.2.29.2)

कम्यग्विभेदरहितं श्रुतिस्मृतिसमुद्धृतम् । यन्न दृष्टं सुरैः सेन्द्रैर्योगिभिर्योगचिन्तकैः

kamyagvibhedarahitaṁ śrutismṛtisamuddhṛtam yanna dṛṣṭaṁ suraiḥ sendrairyogibhiryogacintakaiḥ

"This teaching, drawn from shruti and smriti, is free of confusion — a thing not perceived even by the gods together with Indra, by yogis, or by contemplators of yoga."

Verse 3 (garuda.2.29.3)

गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं वत्स नाख्यातं कस्यचित्क्वचित् । भक्तस्त्वं हि महाभाग सर्वं ते कथयाम्यहम्

guhyādguhyataraṁ vatsa nākhyātaṁ kasyacitkvacit bhaktastvaṁ hi mahābhāga sarvaṁ te kathayāmyaham

"It is a secret deeper than secrets, my child, never told to anyone anywhere. But you are my devotee, O fortunate one, and so I tell you everything."

Verse 4 (garuda.2.29.4)

अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गो नैव च नैव च । येन केनाप्युपायेन कार्यं जन्म सुतस्य च

aputrasya gatirnāsti svargo naiva ca naiva ca yena kenāpyupāyena kāryaṁ janma sutasya ca

"For one without a son there is no good destiny and no heaven whatsoever; therefore, by whatever means, the birth of a son must be secured."

Verse 5 (garuda.2.29.5)

तारयेन्नरकात्पुत्रो यदि मोक्षो न विद्यते । दाहः पुत्रेण कर्तव्यो देयः पौत्रेण पावकः

tārayennarakātputro yadi mokṣo na vidyate dāhaḥ putreṇa kartavyo deyaḥ pautreṇa pāvakaḥ

"Even if liberation is not attained, a son saves his father from hell; the cremation should be performed by the son, and the fire given by the grandson."

Verse 6 (garuda.2.29.6)

तिलैर्दर्भैश्च भूम्यां वै कुटी धातुमती भवेत् । पञ्चरत्नानि वक्त्रे तु येन जीवः प्ररोहति

tilairdarbhaiśca bhūmyāṁ vai kuṭī dhātumatī bhavet pañcaratnāni vaktre tu yena jīvaḥ prarohati

"With sesame and darbha grass, a hut furnished with minerals should be made upon the ground; the five jewels should be placed in the mouth, by which the soul's way forth is opened."

Verse 7 (garuda.2.29.7)

लिप्यात्तु गोमयैर्भूमिं तिलान्दर्भांश्च निः क्षिपेत् । तस्यामेवातुरो मुक्तः सर्वं दहति पातकम्

lipyāttu gomayairbhūmiṁ tilāndarbhāṁśca niḥ kṣipet tasyāmevāturo muktaḥ sarvaṁ dahati pātakam

"The ground should be smeared with cow-dung and sesame and darbha spread upon it; the dying man, laid there, on being released burns away every sin."

Verse 8 (garuda.2.29.8)

दर्भमूलीनयेत्स्वर्गं संस्थितं नात्र संशयः । दर्भांस्तत्र हि ये भूम्यां तिलयुक्तान संशयः

darbhamūlīnayetsvargaṁ saṁsthitaṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ darbhāṁstatra hi ye bhūmyāṁ tilayuktāna saṁśayaḥ

"The roots of the darbha on which he lies carry him to heaven — of this there is no doubt; the darbha spread on the ground together with sesame do the same — no doubt of it."

Verse 9 (garuda.2.29.9)

सर्वत्र वसुधा पूता यत्र लेपो न विद्यते । यत्र लेपः स्थितस्तत्र पुनर्लेपेन शुध्यति

sarvatra vasudhā pūtā yatra lepo na vidyate yatra lepaḥ sthitastatra punarlepena śudhyati

"The ground is pure everywhere it has not been [improperly] smeared; where impurity lies, it is purified again only by the ritual smearing."

Verse 10 (garuda.2.29.10)

यातुधानाः पिशाचाश्च राक्षसाः क्रूरकर्मिणः । अलिप्ते आतुरं मुक्तं विशन्त्येते न संशयः

yātudhānāḥ piśācāśca rākṣasāḥ krūrakarmiṇaḥ alipte āturaṁ muktaṁ viśantyete na saṁśayaḥ

"On unsmeared ground, yatudhanas, pishachas, and cruel rakshasas enter the dying one at the moment of release — there is no doubt of this."

Verse 11 (garuda.2.29.11)

नित्यहोमं तथा श्राद्धं विप्राणां पादशोधनम् । मण्डलेन विना भूम्यां कुर्वन्त्येतच्च निष्फलम्

nityahomaṁ tathā śrāddhaṁ viprāṇāṁ pādaśodhanam maṇḍalena vinā bhūmyāṁ kurvantyetacca niṣphalam

"The daily fire-offering, the shraddha, and the washing of brahmins' feet, if performed on ground without the ritual circle, all become fruitless."

Verse 12 (garuda.2.29.12)

आतुरो मुच्यते नैव मण्डलेन विना भुवि । ब्रह्मा रुद्रश्च विष्णुश्च श्रीर्हुताशन एव च । मण्डले चोपतिष्ठन्तस्तस्मात्कुर्वीत मण्डलम्

āturo mucyate naiva maṇḍalena vinā bhuvi brahmā rudraśca viṣṇuśca śrīrhutāśana eva ca maṇḍale copatiṣṭhantastasmātkurvīta maṇḍalam

"Without the ritual circle on the ground, the dying man is not released. Brahma, Rudra, Vishnu, Shri, and Agni himself dwell within that circle; therefore the circle must be made."

Verse 13 (garuda.2.29.13)

अन्यथा म्रियते यस्तु बालो वृद्धो युवापि वा । योन्यन्तरं स वै गच्छेत्क्रीडते वायुना सह

anyathā mriyate yastu bālo vṛddho yuvāpi vā yonyantaraṁ sa vai gacchetkrīḍate vāyunā saha

"But if, contrary to this, a child, an old man, or a youth dies without it, he attains another lowly birth and wanders about together with the wind."

Verse 14 (garuda.2.29.14)

मिश्रितं लोहताम्रं तु तथैव जन्म जायते । तस्मैवं वायुभूतस्य न श्राद्धं नोदक क्रिया

miśritaṁ lohatāmraṁ tu tathaiva janma jāyate tasmaivaṁ vāyubhūtasya na śrāddhaṁ nodaka kriyā

"Just as when iron and copper are mixed together, so too is such a birth debased; for one who has thus become a mere being of wind, there is neither shraddha nor water-rite that reaches him."

Verse 15 (garuda.2.29.15)

मम स्वेदसमुद्भूतास्तिलास्तार्क्ष्य पवित्रकाः । असुरा दानवा दैत्यास्तृप्यन्ति तिलदानतः

mama svedasamudbhūtāstilāstārkṣya pavitrakāḥ asurā dānavā daityāstṛpyanti tiladānataḥ

"O Tarkshya, sesame arose from my own sweat and is sacred; asuras, danavas, and daityas are satisfied by the gift of sesame."

Verse 16 (garuda.2.29.16)

तिलाः श्वेतास्तिलाः कृष्णास्तिला गोमूत्रसन्निभाः । ते मे दहन्तु पापानि शरीरेण कृतानि च

tilāḥ śvetāstilāḥ kṛṣṇāstilā gomūtrasannibhāḥ te me dahantu pāpāni śarīreṇa kṛtāni ca

"'Let white sesame, black sesame, and sesame the color of cow's urine burn away the sins that I have committed with this body.'"

Verse 17 (garuda.2.29.17)

एक एव तिलद्रोणो हेमद्रोणतिलैः समः । तर्पणे दानहोमे च दत्तो भवति चाक्षयः

eka eva tiladroṇo hemadroṇatilaiḥ samaḥ tarpaṇe dānahome ca datto bhavati cākṣayaḥ

"A single drona-measure of sesame equals a drona-measure of gold-mixed sesame; given in libation, gift, or fire-offering, it becomes imperishable in merit."

Verse 18 (garuda.2.29.18)

दर्भा मल्लोमसम्भूतास्तिलाः स्वेदसमुद्भवाः । तृप्ताः स्युर्देवता दानैः श्राद्धेन पितरस्तथा । प्रयोगविधिना ब्रह्मा विश्वञ्चाप्युपजीवनात्

darbhā mallomasambhūtāstilāḥ svedasamudbhavāḥ tṛptāḥ syurdevatā dānaiḥ śrāddhena pitarastathā prayogavidhinā brahmā viśvañcāpyupajīvanāt

"Darbha grass arose from Vishnu's body-hair, sesame from his sweat; the gods are satisfied by such gifts and the ancestors by shraddha; Brahma is satisfied by the proper procedure, and the whole universe subsists on it too."

Verse 19 (garuda.2.29.19)

सव्ययज्ञोपवीतेन ब्रह्माद्यास्तृप्तिमान्पुयुः । अपसव्येन तृप्यन्ति पितरो दिविदेवताः

savyayajñopavītena brahmādyāstṛptimānpuyuḥ apasavyena tṛpyanti pitaro dividevatāḥ

"Worn over the left shoulder in the ordinary manner, the sacred thread satisfies Brahma and the other gods; worn reversed over the right shoulder, it satisfies the ancestors and the gods of heaven."

Verse 20 (garuda.2.29.20)

अपसव्यादितो ब्रह्मा दर्भमध्ये तु केशवः । दर्भाग्रे शङ्करं विद्यात्त्रयो देवाः कुशे स्थिताः

apasavyādito brahmā darbhamadhye tu keśavaḥ darbhāgre śaṅkaraṁ vidyāttrayo devāḥ kuśe sthitāḥ

"In the reversed rite, one should know Brahma to dwell at the root of the darbha, Keshava in its middle, and Shankara at its tip — these three gods reside within the kusha grass."

Verse 21 (garuda.2.29.21)

विप्रा मन्त्राः कुशा वह्निस्तुलसी च खगेश्वर । नैते निर्माल्यतां यान्ति क्रियमाणाः पुनः पुनः

viprā mantrāḥ kuśā vahnistulasī ca khageśvara naite nirmālyatāṁ yānti kriyamāṇāḥ punaḥ punaḥ

"O lord of birds, brahmins, mantras, kusha grass, fire, and tulasi do not become defiled leftovers even when used again and again."

Verse 22 (garuda.2.29.22)

कुशाः पिण्डेषु निर्माल्याः ब्राह्मणाः प्रेतभोजने । मन्त्राः शूद्रेषु पतिताश्चितायाश्च हुताशनः

kuśāḥ piṇḍeṣu nirmālyāḥ brāhmaṇāḥ pretabhojane mantrāḥ śūdreṣu patitāścitāyāśca hutāśanaḥ

"But kusha grass once used in the pindas does become defiled; so does the brahmin who has eaten at a preta's funeral meal, mantras recited for shudras or the fallen, and fire taken from the funeral pyre."

Verse 23 (garuda.2.29.23)

तुलसी ब्राह्मणा गावो विष्णुरेकादशी खग । पञ्च प्रवहणान्येव भवाब्धौ मज्जतां सताम्

tulasī brāhmaṇā gāvo viṣṇurekādaśī khaga pañca pravahaṇānyeva bhavābdhau majjatāṁ satām

"O bird, tulasi, brahmins, cows, Vishnu, and the Ekadashi fast — these five alone are the vessels that carry the good across the ocean of worldly existence."

Verse 24 (garuda.2.29.24)

विष्णुरेकादशी गीता तुलसीविप्रधेनवः । अपारे दुर्गसंकारे षट्पदी मुक्तिदायिनी

viṣṇurekādaśī gītā tulasīvipradhenavaḥ apāre durgasaṁkāre ṣaṭpadī muktidāyinī

"Vishnu, Ekadashi, the Gita, tulasi, brahmins, and cows — these form the six-fold formula that grants liberation in the boundless, treacherous world."

Verse 25 (garuda.2.29.25)

तिलाः पवित्रास्त्रिविधा दर्भाश्च तुलसीदालम् । निवारयन्ति चैतानि दुर्गतिं यान्तमातुरम्

tilāḥ pavitrāstrividhā darbhāśca tulasīdālam nivārayanti caitāni durgatiṁ yāntamāturam

"The three kinds of sacred sesame, darbha grass, and the tulasi leaf — these keep the dying man from going to an evil state."

Verse 26 (garuda.2.29.26)

हस्ताभ्यामुद्धृतैर्दर्भैस्तोयेन प्रोक्षयेद्भुवम् । मृत्युकाले क्षिपेद्दर्भानातुरस्य करद्वये

hastābhyāmuddhṛtairdarbhaistoyena prokṣayedbhuvam mṛtyukāle kṣipeddarbhānāturasya karadvaye

"With darbha held in both hands, one should sprinkle the ground with water; at the moment of death, darbha should be placed in both hands of the dying man."

Verse 27 (garuda.2.29.27)

दर्भेषु क्षिप्यते योऽसौ दभस्तु परिवेष्टितः । विष्णुलोकं स वै याति मन्त्रहीनोऽपि मानवः

darbheṣu kṣipyate yo'sau dabhastu pariveṣṭitaḥ viṣṇulokaṁ sa vai yāti mantrahīno'pi mānavaḥ

"Whoever is laid upon darbha grass, his body surrounded by it, that man goes to the world of Vishnu even without any mantras."

Verse 28 (garuda.2.29.28)

दर्भमूलीगतो भूमौ दर्भपाणिस्तु यो मृतः । प्रायश्चित्तविशुद्धोऽसौ संसारेपारसागरे

darbhamūlīgato bhūmau darbhapāṇistu yo mṛtaḥ prāyaścittaviśuddho'sau saṁsārepārasāgare

"He who dies lying upon the root-end of darbha on the ground, darbha in hand, is purified through expiation, even amid this boundless ocean of samsara."

Verse 29 (garuda.2.29.29)

गोमयेनोपलिप्ते तु दर्भस्यास्तरणे स्थितः । तत्र दत्तेन दानेन सर्वं पापं व्यपोहति

gomayenopalipte tu darbhasyāstaraṇe sthitaḥ tatra dattena dānena sarvaṁ pāpaṁ vyapohati

"One placed upon a bed of darbha spread on ground smeared with cow-dung washes away every sin through the gift given there."

Verse 30 (garuda.2.29.30)

लवणं तद्रसं दिव्यं सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम् । यस्मादन्नरसाः सर्वे नोत्कटा लवणं विना

lavaṇaṁ tadrasaṁ divyaṁ sarvakāmapradaṁ nṛṇām yasmādannarasāḥ sarve notkaṭā lavaṇaṁ vinā

"Salt is that divine essence which grants every desire of men; for without salt, all the flavors of food remain without savor."

Verse 31 (garuda.2.29.31)

पितॄणां च प्रियं भव्यं तस्मात्स्वर्गप्रदं भवेत् । विष्णुदेहसमुद्भूतो यतोऽयं लवणो रसः

pitṝṇāṁ ca priyaṁ bhavyaṁ tasmātsvargapradaṁ bhavet viṣṇudehasamudbhūto yato'yaṁ lavaṇo rasaḥ

"It is dear and auspicious to the ancestors, and therefore bestows heaven; for this essence of salt arose from the very body of Vishnu."

Verse 32 (garuda.2.29.32)

विशेषाल्लवणं दानं तेन शंसन्ति योगिनः । ब्राह्मण क्षत्त्रियविशां स्त्रीणां शूद्रजनस्य च

viśeṣāllavaṇaṁ dānaṁ tena śaṁsanti yoginaḥ brāhmaṇa kṣattriyaviśāṁ strīṇāṁ śūdrajanasya ca

"For this reason the yogis particularly praise the gift of salt — for brahmins, kshatriyas, and vaishyas, for women, and for shudras alike."

Verse 33 (garuda.2.29.33)

आतुराणां यदा प्राणाः प्रयान्ति वसुधातले । लवणं तु तदा देयं द्बारस्योद्धाटनं दिवः

āturāṇāṁ yadā prāṇāḥ prayānti vasudhātale lavaṇaṁ tu tadā deyaṁ dbārasyoddhāṭanaṁ divaḥ

"When the life-breath of the dying begins to depart upon the earth, salt should then be given — this is the very opening of heaven's door."