Shloka 23
The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds
ऊनषाण्मासिकं तत्र भुङ्क्ते याम्यसमाहतः / मार्गे पुनः पुनस्तस्य बुभुक्षा पीडयत्यलम्
ūnaṣāṇmāsikaṃ tatra bhuṅkte yāmyasamāhataḥ / mārge punaḥ punastasya bubhukṣā pīḍayatyalam
Dort, von Yamas Dienern geschlagen und getrieben, verzehrt er eine Gabe, die geringer ist als das Sechsmonatsopfer. Doch auf dem Weg quält ihn immer wieder ein heftiger Hunger über alle Maßen.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Ritual Type: Ekoddishta
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Before completion of the ṣāṇmāsika; ‘ūna-ṣāṇmāsika’ (less-than-six-month) phase implied.
Concept: Deficiency of post-death support and one’s karmic condition result in repeated suffering (hunger) during the journey.
Vedantic Theme: Karma’s experiential fruition in subtle states; dependence of the preta on saṃskāra and offerings within the dharmic order.
Application: Ensure proper śrāddha/offerings and charity; live with restraint and generosity to avoid post-mortem deprivation.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: road/route
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: preta’s hunger/thirst alleviated by piṇḍa and udaka offerings; Garuda Purana: māsika/ṣāṇmāsika gradations and consequences of omission/insufficiency
FAQs
This verse indicates that without adequate ritual support, the departed experiences deprivation—receiving less than what is meant to sustain them—resulting in repeated hunger and distress on the journey.
It portrays the preta as moving along a difficult route toward Yama’s domain, pressured by Yama’s agents and repeatedly afflicted by hunger, highlighting the hardship of the post-death passage.
Perform prescribed śrāddha rites with sincerity and timely care for ancestors, and cultivate compassion and dharma—reminding one to support dependents and honor obligations rather than neglecting them.