The Fruits of Gifts, and Entry into a New Body

Verse 1 (garuda.2.31.1)

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । ये नराः पापसंयुक्तास्ते गच्छन्ति यमालयम् । नृणां मत्साक्षिकं दत्तमनन्तफलदं भवेत्

śrīviṣṇuruvāca ye narāḥ pāpasaṁyuktāste gacchanti yamālayam nṛṇāṁ matsākṣikaṁ dattamanantaphaladaṁ bhavet

Shri Vishnu said: "Those men joined with sin go to the abode of Yama; but any gift given by men with me as witness becomes endlessly fruitful."

Verse 2 (garuda.2.31.2)

यावद्रजः प्रमाणाब्दंस्वर्गे तिष्ठति भूमिदः । अश्वारूढाश्च ते यान्ति ददते ये ह्युपानहौ

yāvadrajaḥ pramāṇābdaṁsvarge tiṣṭhati bhūmidaḥ aśvārūḍhāśca te yānti dadate ye hyupānahau

"For as many years as there are grains of dust in the land, the giver of land dwells in heaven; those who give sandals travel mounted upon a horse."

Verse 3 (garuda.2.31.3)

आतपे श्रमयोगेन न दह्यन्ते च कुत्रचित् । छत्त्रदानेन वै प्रेता विचरन्ति सुखं पथि

ātape śramayogena na dahyante ca kutracit chattradānena vai pretā vicaranti sukhaṁ pathi

"By the merit of that exertion they are not scorched by the sun's heat anywhere; through the gift of an umbrella, pretas wander happily along the road."

Verse 4 (garuda.2.31.4)

यमुद्दिश्य ददात्यन्नं तेन चाप्यायितो भवेत्

yamuddiśya dadātyannaṁ tena cāpyāyito bhavet

"Whoever gives food dedicated to a particular deceased, by that he is satisfied."

Verse 5 (garuda.2.31.5)

अन्धकारे महाघोरे अमूर्ते लक्ष्यवर्जिते । उद्द्योतेनैव ते यान्ति दीपदानेन मानवाः

andhakāre mahāghore amūrte lakṣyavarjite uddyotenaiva te yānti dīpadānena mānavāḥ

"In the great, terrible darkness, formless and without any landmark, men cross through by the light of the gift of a lamp alone."

Verse 6 (garuda.2.31.6)

आश्विने कर्तिके वापि माघे मृततिथावपि । चतुर्दश्याञ्च दीयेत दीपदानं सुखाय वै

āśvine kartike vāpi māghe mṛtatithāvapi caturdaśyāñca dīyeta dīpadānaṁ sukhāya vai

"In the month of Ashvin, Kartika, or Magha, on the death-anniversary date, or on the fourteenth lunar day, the gift of a lamp should be given for his happiness."

Verse 7 (garuda.2.31.7)

प्रत्यहञ्च प्रदातव्यं मार्गे सुविषमे नरैः । यावत्संवत्सरं वापि प्रेतस्य सुखलिप्सया

pratyahañca pradātavyaṁ mārge suviṣame naraiḥ yāvatsaṁvatsaraṁ vāpi pretasya sukhalipsayā

"It should be given daily by men who desire the preta's happiness on that very difficult road, and continued for a whole year."

Verse 8 (garuda.2.31.8)

कुले द्योतति शुद्धात्मा प्रकाशत्वं स गच्छति । ज्योतिर्मयोऽसौ पूज्योऽसौ दीपदानप्रदो नरः

kule dyotati śuddhātmā prakāśatvaṁ sa gacchati jyotirmayo'sau pūjyo'sau dīpadānaprado naraḥ

"The pure-souled one shines forth in his family and attains radiance; the man who gives the gift of a lamp becomes luminous and worthy of worship."

Verse 9 (garuda.2.31.9)

प्राङ्मुखोदङ्मुखं दीपं देवागारे द्विजातये । कुर्याद्याम्यमुखं पित्रे अद्भिः सङ्कल्प्य सुस्थिरम्

prāṅmukhodaṅmukhaṁ dīpaṁ devāgāre dvijātaye kuryādyāmyamukhaṁ pitre adbhiḥ saṅkalpya susthiram

"For a twice-born, a lamp facing east or north should be placed in the temple of the gods; for the ancestor, a lamp facing south should be set firm, consecrated with water and resolve."

Verse 10 (garuda.2.31.10)

सर्वोपहारयुक्तानि पदान्यत्र त्रयोदश । यो ददाति मृतस्येह जीवन्नप्यात्महेतवे । स गच्छति महामार्गे महाकष्टविवर्जितः

sarvopahārayuktāni padānyatra trayodaśa yo dadāti mṛtasyeha jīvannapyātmahetave sa gacchati mahāmārge mahākaṣṭavivarjitaḥ

"Whoever, while still living, gives here for the sake of the dead the thirteen items complete with every accompaniment, travels the great road free of great hardship."

Verse 11 (garuda.2.31.11)

आसनं भाजनं भोज्यं दीयते यद्द्विजायते । सुखे न भुञ्जमानस्तु देन गच्छत्यलं पथि

āsanaṁ bhājanaṁ bhojyaṁ dīyate yaddvijāyate sukhe na bhuñjamānastu dena gacchatyalaṁ pathi

"A seat, a vessel, and food given to a brahmin — by that gift, even without enjoying comfort himself, the deceased travels the road with ease."

Verse 12 (garuda.2.31.12)

कमण्डलुप्रदानेन तृषितः पिबते जलम्

kamaṇḍalupradānena tṛṣitaḥ pibate jalam

"By the gift of a water-pot, the thirsty one drinks water."

Verse 13 (garuda.2.31.13)

भाजनं वस्त्रदानञ्च कुसुमञ्चाङ्गुलीयकम् । एकादशा हे दातव्यं प्रेतोद्धरणहेतवे

bhājanaṁ vastradānañca kusumañcāṅgulīyakam ekādaśā he dātavyaṁ pretoddharaṇahetave

"A vessel, a gift of cloth, a flower, and a ring — these, among the full eleven items, should be given for the deliverance of the preta."

Verse 14 (garuda.2.31.14)

त्रयोदश पदानीत्थं प्रेतस्य शुभमिच्छता । दातव्यानि यथाशक्त्या प्रेतोऽसौ प्रीणितो भवेत्

trayodaśa padānītthaṁ pretasya śubhamicchatā dātavyāni yathāśaktyā preto'sau prīṇito bhavet

"Thus one who wishes the preta's welfare should give these thirteen items according to his ability, so that the preta is made content."

Verse 15 (garuda.2.31.15)

भोजना नि तिलांश्चैव उदकुम्भांस्त्रयोदश । मुद्रिकां वस्त्रयुग्मञ्च तया याति परां गतिम्

bhojanā ni tilāṁścaiva udakumbhāṁstrayodaśa mudrikāṁ vastrayugmañca tayā yāti parāṁ gatim

"Food, sesame, thirteen water-pots, a ring, and a pair of garments — by these he attains the highest state."

Verse 16 (garuda.2.31.16)

योऽश्वं नावं गजं वापि ब्राह्मणे प्रतिपादयेत् । स महिम्नोऽनुसारेण तत्तत्सुखमुपाश्नुते

yo'śvaṁ nāvaṁ gajaṁ vāpi brāhmaṇe pratipādayet sa mahimno'nusāreṇa tattatsukhamupāśnute

"Whoever gives a horse, a boat, or an elephant to a brahmin enjoys, in the next world, pleasure corresponding to its greatness."

Verse 17 (garuda.2.31.17)

नानालोकान् विचरति महिषीञ्च ददाति यः । यमपुत्त्रस्य या माता महिषी सुगतिप्रदा

nānālokān vicarati mahiṣīñca dadāti yaḥ yamaputtrasya yā mātā mahiṣī sugatipradā

"He who gives a she-buffalo wanders through many worlds; the buffalo, mother of Yama's mount, bestows a good destiny."

Verse 18 (garuda.2.31.18)

ताम्बूलं कुसुमं देयं याम्यानां हर्षवर्धनम् । तेन सम्प्रीणिताः सर्वे तस्मिन् क्लेशं न कुर्वते

tāmbūlaṁ kusumaṁ deyaṁ yāmyānāṁ harṣavardhanam tena samprīṇitāḥ sarve tasmin kleśaṁ na kurvate

"Betel and flowers, which increase the joy of the beings in Yama's realm, should be given; pleased by this, all of them cause the deceased no distress."

Verse 19 (garuda.2.31.19)

गोभूतिलहिरण्यानि दानान्याहुः स्वशक्तितः

gobhūtilahiraṇyāni dānānyāhuḥ svaśaktitaḥ

"Cows, land, sesame, and gold — these gifts are prescribed according to one's ability."

Verse 20 (garuda.2.31.20)

मृतोद्देशेन यो यद्याज्जलपात्रञ्च मृन्मयम् । उदपात्रसहस्रस्य फलमाप्नोति मानवः

mṛtoddeśena yo yadyājjalapātrañca mṛnmayam udapātrasahasrasya phalamāpnoti mānavaḥ

"Whoever gives even a single clay water-vessel for the deceased's sake obtains the merit of a thousand water-vessels."

Verse 21 (garuda.2.31.21)

यमदूता महारौद्राः करालाः कृष्णपिङ्गलाः । न भीषयन्ति तं याम्या वस्त्रदाने कृते सति

yamadūtā mahāraudrāḥ karālāḥ kṛṣṇapiṅgalāḥ na bhīṣayanti taṁ yāmyā vastradāne kṛte sati

"Once the gift of cloth has been made, those fearsome, terrible, dark and tawny messengers of Yama do not frighten him."

Verse 22 (garuda.2.31.22)

मार्गे हि गच्छमानस्तु तृष्णार्तः श्रमपीडितः । घटान्नदानयोगेन सुखी भवति निश्चितम्

mārge hi gacchamānastu tṛṣṇārtaḥ śramapīḍitaḥ ghaṭānnadānayogena sukhī bhavati niścitam

"Traveling the road, afflicted by thirst and worn out by exertion, he becomes happy for certain through the gift of pot and food."

Verse 23 (garuda.2.31.23)

शय्या दक्षिणया युक्ता आयुधाम्बरसंयुता । हैमश्रीपतिना युक्ता देया विप्राय शर्मणे । तथा प्रेतत्वमुक्तोऽसौ मोदते सह दैवतैः

śayyā dakṣiṇayā yuktā āyudhāmbarasaṁyutā haimaśrīpatinā yuktā deyā viprāya śarmaṇe tathā pretatvamukto'sau modate saha daivataiḥ

"A bed together with a fee, furnished with weapons and cloth, accompanied by a golden image of Lakshmi's Lord, should be given to a brahmin for his comfort; freed from pretahood by this, he rejoices with the gods."

Verse 24 (garuda.2.31.24)

एतत्ते कथितं तार्क्ष्य दानमन्त्येष्टिकर्मजम् । अधुना कथयिष्येऽहमन्यदेहप्रवेशनम्

etatte kathitaṁ tārkṣya dānamantyeṣṭikarmajam adhunā kathayiṣye'hamanyadehapraveśanam

"This, O Tarkshya, I have told you of the gift arising from the final rites. Now I shall tell you of the entry into another body."

Verse 25 (garuda.2.31.25)

जातस्य मृत्युलोके वै प्राणिनो मरणं ध्रुवम् । मृतिः कुर्यात्स्वधर्मेण यास्यतश्च परन्तप

jātasya mṛtyuloke vai prāṇino maraṇaṁ dhruvam mṛtiḥ kuryātsvadharmeṇa yāsyataśca parantapa

"For any being born in this world of death, death is certain, O scorcher of foes; death carries out its own law upon the one who is departing."

Verse 26 (garuda.2.31.26)

पूर्वकाले मृतानाञ्च प्राणिनाञ्च खगेश्वर । सूक्ष्मोभूत्वा त्वसौ वायुर्निर्गच्छत्यास्यमण्डलात्

pūrvakāle mṛtānāñca prāṇināñca khageśvara sūkṣmobhūtvā tvasau vāyurnirgacchatyāsyamaṇḍalāt

"O lord of birds, in the case of those who die by the ordinary course, that subtle self, becoming fine as air, departs through the circle of the mouth."

Verse 27 (garuda.2.31.27)

नवद्वारै रोमभिश्च जनानां तालुरन्ध्रके । पापिष्ठानामपानेन जीवो निष्क्रामति ध्रुवम्

navadvārai romabhiśca janānāṁ tālurandhrake pāpiṣṭhānāmapānena jīvo niṣkrāmati dhruvam

"Through the nine gates, through the pores, or through the crown-aperture of men; but for the most sinful, the soul departs certainly through the lower passage."

Verse 28 (garuda.2.31.28)

शरीरञ्च पतेत्पश्चान्निर्गते मरुतीश्वरे । वाताहतः पतत्येव निराधारो यथा द्रुमः

śarīrañca patetpaścānnirgate marutīśvare vātāhataḥ patatyeva nirādhāro yathā drumaḥ

"Once the vital breath has departed, the body then falls, just as an unsupported tree, struck by the wind, falls down."

Verse 29 (garuda.2.31.29)

पृथिव्यां लीयते पृथ्वी आपश्चैव तथाप्सु च । तेजस्तेजसि लीयते समीरणः समीरणे । आकाशे च तथा काशः सर्वव्यापी च शङ्करे

pṛthivyāṁ līyate pṛthvī āpaścaiva tathāpsu ca tejastejasi līyate samīraṇaḥ samīraṇe ākāśe ca tathā kāśaḥ sarvavyāpī ca śaṅkare

"Earth dissolves into earth, water into water, fire into fire, and wind into wind; and space dissolves into space, into the all-pervading Shankara."

Verse 30 (garuda.2.31.30)

तत्र कामस्तथा क्रोधः काये पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि च । एते तार्क्ष्य समाख्याता देहे तिष्ठन्ति तस्कराः

tatra kāmastathā krodhaḥ kāye pañcendriyāṇi ca ete tārkṣya samākhyātā dehe tiṣṭhanti taskarāḥ

"There too remain desire and anger, and, in the body, the five senses — these, O Tarkshya, are declared to be the thieves that dwell within the body."

Verse 31 (garuda.2.31.31)

कामः क्रोधो ह्यहङ्कारो मनस्तत्रैव नायकः । संहारकश्च कालोऽयं पुण्यपापसमन्वितः

kāmaḥ krodho hyahaṅkāro manastatraiva nāyakaḥ saṁhārakaśca kālo'yaṁ puṇyapāpasamanvitaḥ

"Desire, anger, and ego, with the mind as their leader dwelling there; and Time itself, the destroyer, accompanied by merit and demerit —"

Verse 32 (garuda.2.31.32)

जगतश्च स्वरूपन्तु निर्मितं स्वेन कर्मणा । पुनर्देहान्तरं याति सुकृतैर्दुष्कृतैर्नरः

jagataśca svarūpantu nirmitaṁ svena karmaṇā punardehāntaraṁ yāti sukṛtairduṣkṛtairnaraḥ

"— and the very form of the world, shaped by one's own deeds — through his good and evil deeds a man attains yet another body."

Verse 33 (garuda.2.31.33)

पञ्चेन्द्रियसमायुक्तं सकलैर्विष्यैः सह । प्रविशेत्स नवं देहं गृहे दग्धे यथा गृही

pañcendriyasamāyuktaṁ sakalairviṣyaiḥ saha praviśetsa navaṁ dehaṁ gṛhe dagdhe yathā gṛhī

"Joined with the five senses together with all their objects, he enters a new body, just as a householder moves on from a house that has burned down."

Verse 34 (garuda.2.31.34)

शरीरे ये समासीना सम्भवेत्सर्वधातवः । षाट्कौशिको ह्ययं कायो माता पित्रोश्च धातवः

śarīre ye samāsīnā sambhavetsarvadhātavaḥ ṣāṭkauśiko hyayaṁ kāyo mātā pitrośca dhātavaḥ

"All the constituents that are assembled in the body — this body, made of six sheaths, is formed from the substances of mother and father."

Verse 35 (garuda.2.31.35)

सम्भवेयुस्तथा तार्क्ष्य सर्वे वाताश्च देहिनाम् । मूत्रं पुरीषं तद्योगा ये चान्ये व्याधयस्तथा

sambhaveyustathā tārkṣya sarve vātāśca dehinām mūtraṁ purīṣaṁ tadyogā ye cānye vyādhayastathā

"And likewise, O Tarkshya, arise all the bodily humors of embodied beings, urine and feces, and the various other afflictions born of their combination."

Verse 36 (garuda.2.31.36)

अस्थि शुक्रं तथा स्नायुः देहेन सह दह्यते । एष ते कथितस्तार्क्ष्य विनाशः सर्वदेहिनाम्

asthi śukraṁ tathā snāyuḥ dehena saha dahyate eṣa te kathitastārkṣya vināśaḥ sarvadehinām

"Bone, semen, and sinew are burned together with the body; this, O Tarkshya, is the destruction of all embodied beings, as I have told you."

Verse 37 (garuda.2.31.37)

कथयामि पुनस्तेषां शरीरञ्च यथा भवेत् । एकस्तम्भं स्नायुबद्धं स्थूणाद्वयसमुद्धृतम्

kathayāmi punasteṣāṁ śarīrañca yathā bhavet ekastambhaṁ snāyubaddhaṁ sthūṇādvayasamuddhṛtam

"Now I shall tell you again of what their body is: a single pillar bound by sinews, raised up upon a pair of posts,"

Verse 38 (garuda.2.31.38)

इन्द्रियैश्च समायुक्तं नवद्वारं शरीरकम् । विषयैश्च समाक्रान्तं कामक्रोधसमाकुलम्

indriyaiśca samāyuktaṁ navadvāraṁ śarīrakam viṣayaiśca samākrāntaṁ kāmakrodhasamākulam

"furnished with the senses, this body of nine gates, overrun by sense-objects, distracted by desire and anger,"

Verse 39 (garuda.2.31.39)

रागद्वेषसमाकीर्णं तृष्णादुर्गसुदुस्तरम् । लोभजालसमायुक्तं पुरं पुरुषसंज्ञितम्

rāgadveṣasamākīrṇaṁ tṛṣṇādurgasudustaram lobhajālasamāyuktaṁ puraṁ puruṣasaṁjñitam

"crowded with attachment and aversion, well-nigh impassable through the wilderness of craving, caught in the net of greed — this city is called 'the person'."

Verse 40 (garuda.2.31.40)

एतद्गुणसमायुक्तं शरीरं सर्वदेहिनाम् । तिष्ठन्ति देवताः सर्वा भुवनानि चतुर्दश

etadguṇasamāyuktaṁ śarīraṁ sarvadehinām tiṣṭhanti devatāḥ sarvā bhuvanāni caturdaśa

"This body, endowed with these qualities, belongs to every embodied being; within it dwell all the gods and the fourteen worlds."

Verse 41 (garuda.2.31.41)

आत्मानं ये न जानन्ति ते नराः पशवः स्मृताः । एवमेतन्मयाख्यातं शरीरं ते चतुर्विधम्

ātmānaṁ ye na jānanti te narāḥ paśavaḥ smṛtāḥ evametanmayākhyātaṁ śarīraṁ te caturvidham

"Those who do not know the Self are counted as no more than beasts. Thus have I told you of this fourfold body."

Verse 42 (garuda.2.31.42)

चतुरशीतिलक्षाणि निर्मिता योनयः पुरा । उद्भिज्जाः स्वेदजाश्चैव अण्डजाश्च जरायुजाः

caturaśītilakṣāṇi nirmitā yonayaḥ purā udbhijjāḥ svedajāścaiva aṇḍajāśca jarāyujāḥ

"Of old, eighty-four hundred thousand species were fashioned: those sprung from shoots, those born of sweat, those born of eggs, and those born from the womb."

Verse 43 (garuda.2.31.43)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यत्पृष्टोहं त्वयानघ

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ yatpṛṣṭohaṁ tvayānagha

"All this, O sinless one, has been told to you — whatever you asked of me."