What Should and Should Not Be Done for an Evil Death

Verse 1 (garuda.2.44.1)

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । स्वेच्छया तार्क्ष्य मरणं शृङ्गिदंष्ट्रिसरीसृपः । चाण्डालाद्यात्मघातैश्च विषाद्यैस्ताडनैस्तथा

śrīviṣṇuruvāca svecchayā tārkṣya maraṇaṁ śṛṅgidaṁṣṭrisarīsṛpaḥ cāṇḍālādyātmaghātaiśca viṣādyaistāḍanaistathā

Shri Vishnu said: "O Tarkshya, death willingly chosen, or by horned or fanged beasts and reptiles, by an outcaste and the like, by taking one's own life, by poison and such, or by beating,"

Verse 2 (garuda.2.44.2)

जलाग्निपातवातैश्च निराहारादिभिस्तथा । येषामेव भवेन्मृत्युः प्रोक्तास्ते पापकर्मिणः

jalāgnipātavātaiśca nirāhārādibhistathā yeṣāmeva bhavenmṛtyuḥ proktāste pāpakarmiṇaḥ

"by falling into water or fire, by the wind, and likewise by starvation — those who die by such means are declared to be of sinful conduct."

Verse 3 (garuda.2.44.3)

पाषड्यनाश्रमाश्चैव महापातकिनस्तथा । स्त्रियश्च व्यभिचारिण्य आरूढपतितास्तथा

pāṣaḍyanāśramāścaiva mahāpātakinastathā striyaśca vyabhicāriṇya ārūḍhapatitāstathā

"Heretics, those with no [proper] station in life, great sinners likewise, unchaste women, and those fallen from a high position —"

Verse 4 (garuda.2.44.4)

न तेषां स्यान्नव श्राद्धं न संस्कारः सपिण्डनम् । श्राद्धानि षोडशोक्तानि न भवन्ति च तान्यपि

na teṣāṁ syānnava śrāddhaṁ na saṁskāraḥ sapiṇḍanam śrāddhāni ṣoḍaśoktāni na bhavanti ca tānyapi

"for these there is neither the nine-fold shraddha, nor consecration, nor sapindana; the declared sixteen shraddhas do not apply to them either."

Verse 5 (garuda.2.44.5)

वेतनं यत्क्षिपेदप्सु गृह्याग्निश्च चतुष्पथे । पात्राणिनिर्दहेदग्नौ साग्निके पापकर्मणि

vetanaṁ yatkṣipedapsu gṛhyāgniśca catuṣpathe pātrāṇinirdahedagnau sāgnike pāpakarmaṇi

"Whatever fee was due for them should be cast into water; in the case of a sinning fire-keeper, the household fire should be carried to the crossroads, and the vessels burned in fire."

Verse 6 (garuda.2.44.6)

पूर्णे संवत्सरे तेषामित्थं कार्यं दयालुभिः । एकादशीं समासाद्य शुक्लपक्षे च काश्यप

pūrṇe saṁvatsare teṣāmitthaṁ kāryaṁ dayālubhiḥ ekādaśīṁ samāsādya śuklapakṣe ca kāśyapa

"When the year is complete, compassionate people should do the following for them — O Kashyapa, on the eleventh day of the bright fortnight,"

Verse 7 (garuda.2.44.7)

विष्णुं यमं च सम्पूज्य गन्धपुष्पाक्षतादिभिः । दश पिण्डान् घृताक्तांश्च दर्भेषु मधुसंयुतान्

viṣṇuṁ yamaṁ ca sampūjya gandhapuṣpākṣatādibhiḥ daśa piṇḍān ghṛtāktāṁśca darbheṣu madhusaṁyutān

"having worshipped Vishnu and Yama with scent, flowers, unbroken rice and the rest, ten pindas anointed with ghee, placed upon darbha grass and mixed with honey,"

Verse 8 (garuda.2.44.8)

यज्ञोपवीति सतिलान् ध्यायन् विष्णुं यमं तथा । दक्षिणाभिमुखस्तूष्णीमेकैकं निर्वपेत्तुतान्

yajñopavīti satilān dhyāyan viṣṇuṁ yamaṁ tathā dakṣiṇābhimukhastūṣṇīmekaikaṁ nirvapettutān

"together with the sacred thread and sesame, meditating on Vishnu and Yama, facing south, should be offered one by one in silence."

Verse 9 (garuda.2.44.9)

उद्धृत्य मिश्रितान् पश्चात्तीर्थेऽभ्मः सु विनिः क्षिपेत् । क्षिपन् संकीर्तयेन्नाम गोत्रं च मृतकस्य च

uddhṛtya miśritān paścāttīrthe'bhmaḥ su viniḥ kṣipet kṣipan saṁkīrtayennāma gotraṁ ca mṛtakasya ca

"Having gathered them together, they should then be released into the water of a holy ford; while releasing them, the name and gotra of the deceased should be spoken."

Verse 10 (garuda.2.44.10)

पुनरप्यर्चयेद्विष्णुं यमं कुसुमचन्दनैः । धूपदीपैः सनैवेद्यैर्भक्ष्यभोज्यसमन्वितैः

punarapyarcayedviṣṇuṁ yamaṁ kusumacandanaiḥ dhūpadīpaiḥ sanaivedyairbhakṣyabhojyasamanvitaiḥ

"Vishnu and Yama should again be worshipped with flowers and sandal, together with incense, lamps, and offerings of food to be chewed and eaten."

Verse 11 (garuda.2.44.11)

तस्मिन्नुपवसेदह्नि विप्रांश्चेव निमन्त्रयेत् । कुलविद्यातपोयुक्तान् साधुशीलसमन्वितान्

tasminnupavasedahni viprāṁśceva nimantrayet kulavidyātapoyuktān sādhuśīlasamanvitān

"On that day one should fast and invite brahmins endowed with lineage, learning, and austerity, of good conduct,"

Verse 12 (garuda.2.44.12)

नव सप्ताथवा पञ्च स्वसामर्थ्यानुसारतः । अपरेऽहनि मध्याह्ने यमं विष्णुं तथार्चयेत्

nava saptāthavā pañca svasāmarthyānusārataḥ apare'hani madhyāhne yamaṁ viṣṇuṁ tathārcayet

"nine, seven, or five according to one's means. On the following day, at midday, Yama and Vishnu should be worshipped once more,"

Verse 13 (garuda.2.44.13)

उदङ्मुखांस्तथा विप्रांस्तान् सम्यगुपवेशयेत् । आवाहनार्घदानादौ विष्णुं यमसमन्वितम्

udaṅmukhāṁstathā viprāṁstān samyagupaveśayet āvāhanārghadānādau viṣṇuṁ yamasamanvitam

"and those brahmins should be duly seated facing north. In the invocation, the giving of arghya, and the rest, Vishnu together with Yama,"

Verse 14 (garuda.2.44.14)

यज्ञोपवीती कुर्वीत प्रेतनाम प्रकीर्तयेत् । प्रेतं यमं च विष्णुं च स्मरन् श्राद्धं समापयेत्

yajñopavītī kurvīta pretanāma prakīrtayet pretaṁ yamaṁ ca viṣṇuṁ ca smaran śrāddhaṁ samāpayet

"wearing the sacred thread, the preta's name should be spoken; remembering the preta, Yama, and Vishnu, the shraddha should be completed."

Verse 15 (garuda.2.44.15)

अन्येभ्यश्चापि सर्वेभ्यः पिण्डदानार्थमुद्धरेत् । पृथग्वा दश पिण्डांश्च पञ्च दद्यात्क्रमेण तु

anyebhyaścāpi sarvebhyaḥ piṇḍadānārthamuddharet pṛthagvā daśa piṇḍāṁśca pañca dadyātkrameṇa tu

"A share should be set aside for all others as well, for the pinda-offering; or, separately, five out of ten pindas should be given in order."

Verse 16 (garuda.2.44.16)

प्रथमं विष्णवे दद्याद्ब्रह्मणे च शिवाय च । सभृत्याय शिवायाथ प्रेतायापि च पञ्चमम्

prathamaṁ viṣṇave dadyādbrahmaṇe ca śivāya ca sabhṛtyāya śivāyātha pretāyāpi ca pañcamam

"The first should be given to Vishnu, then to Brahma and Shiva; then again to Shiva together with his attendant, and the fifth also to the preta."

Verse 17 (garuda.2.44.17)

नाम गोत्रं स्मरेत्तस्य विष्णुशब्दं प्रकीर्तयेत् । नमस्कारशिरस्कन्तु पञ्चमं पिण्डमुद्धरेत्

nāma gotraṁ smarettasya viṣṇuśabdaṁ prakīrtayet namaskāraśiraskantu pañcamaṁ piṇḍamuddharet

"Remembering his name and gotra, the word 'Vishnu' should be uttered; with a bow of the head, the fifth pinda should be raised up."

Verse 18 (garuda.2.44.18)

गोभूमिपिण्डदानाद्यैः शक्त्या प्रेतं स्मरंश्च तम् । तिलैस्तिलांस्तु विप्राणां दर्भयुक्तेषु पाणिषु

gobhūmipiṇḍadānādyaiḥ śaktyā pretaṁ smaraṁśca tam tilaistilāṁstu viprāṇāṁ darbhayukteṣu pāṇiṣu

"Remembering that preta, according to one's ability, through the gift of a cow, land, pindas, and the like, sesame should be given, taken in hands holding darbha, to the brahmins,"

Verse 19 (garuda.2.44.19)

दद्यादन्नं द्विजानां च ताम्बूलं दक्षिणां तथा । एवं शिष्टतमं विप्रं हरिण्येन प्रपूजयेत्

dadyādannaṁ dvijānāṁ ca tāmbūlaṁ dakṣiṇāṁ tathā evaṁ śiṣṭatamaṁ vipraṁ hariṇyena prapūjayet

"food, betel, and a fee should be given to the twice-born. In this way the finest brahmin should be honored with gold."

Verse 20 (garuda.2.44.20)

नाम गोत्रं स्मरन् दद्याद्विष्णुप्रीतोस्त्विति ब्रुवन् । अनुव्रज्य द्विजान् पश्चात्त्यक्ताम्भो दक्षिणामुखः

nāma gotraṁ smaran dadyādviṣṇuprītostviti bruvan anuvrajya dvijān paścāttyaktāmbho dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ

"Remembering the name and gotra, it should be given while saying 'May Vishnu be pleased'; then, having followed the brahmins, having released the water, facing south,"

Verse 21 (garuda.2.44.21)

कीर्तयन्नामगोत्रे तु भुवि प्रीतोस्त्विति क्षिपेत् । मित्रबन्धुजनैः सार्धं शेषं भुञ्जीत वाग्यतः । प्रतिसंवत्सरादि स्यादेकोद्दिष्टविधानतः

kīrtayannāmagotre tu bhuvi prītostviti kṣipet mitrabandhujanaiḥ sārdhaṁ śeṣaṁ bhuñjīta vāgyataḥ pratisaṁvatsarādi syādekoddiṣṭavidhānataḥ

"uttering the name and gotra and saying 'may he be pleased', it should be offered upon the ground. The remaining food should be eaten together with friends and kinsmen, keeping speech restrained. Every year this should be done according to the ekoddishta procedure."

Verse 22 (garuda.2.44.22)

एवं कृते गमिष्यन्ति स्वर्लोकं पापकर्मिणः । सपिण्डीकरणादौ तु कृते चैवाप्नुवन्तिते

evaṁ kṛte gamiṣyanti svarlokaṁ pāpakarmiṇaḥ sapiṇḍīkaraṇādau tu kṛte caivāpnuvantite

"Done in this way, even those of sinful conduct will go to the world of heaven; and once sapindikarana and the rest have been performed, they attain it fully."

Verse 23 (garuda.2.44.23)

अथ कश्चित्प्रमादेन म्रियते ह्युदकादिभिः । संसारप्रमुखस्तस्य सर्वं कुर्याद्यथाविधि

atha kaścitpramādena mriyate hyudakādibhiḥ saṁsārapramukhastasya sarvaṁ kuryādyathāvidhi

"If someone dies accidentally, by water and the like, the chief mourner should perform every rite for him according to rule."

Verse 24 (garuda.2.44.24)

प्रमादादिच्छया मर्त्यो न गच्छेत्सर्पसंमुखः । पक्षयोरुभयोर्नागं पञ्चमीषु प्रपूजयेत्

pramādādicchayā martyo na gacchetsarpasaṁmukhaḥ pakṣayorubhayornāgaṁ pañcamīṣu prapūjayet

"A man should never go before a serpent, whether carelessly or of his own will. On the fifth day of both lunar fortnights, the Naga should be worshipped."

Verse 25 (garuda.2.44.25)

कुर्यात्पिष्टमयीं लेखां नागानामाकृतिं भुवि । अर्चयेत्तां सितैः पुष्पैः सुगन्धैश्चन्दनेनच

kuryātpiṣṭamayīṁ lekhāṁ nāgānāmākṛtiṁ bhuvi arcayettāṁ sitaiḥ puṣpaiḥ sugandhaiścandanenaca

"A drawing of serpents should be made on the ground in flour. It should be worshipped with white flowers and fragrant sandal,"

Verse 26 (garuda.2.44.26)

प्रदद्याद्धूपदीपन्तु तण्डुलांश्च सितान् क्षिपेत् । आमपिष्टं तथैवान्नं क्षीरञ्च विनिवेदयेत्

pradadyāddhūpadīpantu taṇḍulāṁśca sitān kṣipet āmapiṣṭaṁ tathaivānnaṁ kṣīrañca vinivedayet

"incense and a lamp should be offered, and white rice grains scattered; raw flour, food, and milk should likewise be offered."

Verse 27 (garuda.2.44.27)

उपस्थाय वदेदेवं मुञ्चन्मुद्रांशुकानि च । मधुरं तद्दिनेऽश्रीयाद्देवश्राद्धं समापयेत्

upasthāya vadedevaṁ muñcanmudrāṁśukāni ca madhuraṁ taddine'śrīyāddevaśrāddhaṁ samāpayet

"Standing before it, removing one's rings and outer garments, this should be spoken; on that day something sweet should be eaten and the shraddha to the deity completed."

Verse 28 (garuda.2.44.28)

सौवर्णं शक्तितो नागं ततो दद्याद्द्विजोत्तमे । धेनुं दत्त्वा ततो ब्रूयात्प्रीयतां नागराडिति

sauvarṇaṁ śaktito nāgaṁ tato dadyāddvijottame dhenuṁ dattvā tato brūyātprīyatāṁ nāgarāḍiti

"A golden serpent, according to one's means, should then be given to the finest brahmin; having given a cow, one should then say, 'May the king of serpents be pleased.'"

Verse 29 (garuda.2.44.29)

यथाविभव्यं कुर्वीत कर्माण्यन्यानि पूर्ववत् । स्वशाखोक्तविधानेन इत्थं कुर्याद्यथातथम् । प्रेतत्वान्मोचयेत्तांस्तु स्वर्गमार्गं नयेत्च

yathāvibhavyaṁ kurvīta karmāṇyanyāni pūrvavat svaśākhoktavidhānena itthaṁ kuryādyathātatham pretatvānmocayettāṁstu svargamārgaṁ nayetca

"The other rites should be performed as before, according to one's means, following the procedure declared in one's own Vedic branch — thus it should be done exactly as prescribed. By this they are freed from the state of pretahood and set upon the path to heaven."