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Shloka 28

The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds

Devanagari script

अन्तरं देहि भो पान्थ बहुला चेद्रुचिस्तव / तेन तत्र प्रदत्ता गौस्तया नावा प्रसर्पति / मनुजानां हितं दानमन्ते वैतरणी स्मृता

Transliteration

antaraṃ dehi bho pāntha bahulā cedrucistava / tena tatra pradattā gaustayā nāvā prasarpati / manujānāṃ hitaṃ dānamante vaitaraṇī smṛtā

Translation

Mach Platz, o Reisender, wenn du Achtung vor Bahulā hast. Durch das Verdienst jener dort geschenkten Kuh bewegt sich ein Boot durch sie vorwärts; und diese Gabe, die zum Wohle der Menschen am Lebensende gegeben wurde, wird als das Mittel zum Überqueren der Vaitaraṇī erinnert.

Word by Word
अन्तरम्space, interval
अन्तरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन (singular)
देहिgive
देहि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√दा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular)
भोO!
भो:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभो (अव्यय)
Formसम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)
पान्थtraveller
पान्थ:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootपान्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular)
बहुलाgreat, abundant
बहुला:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular); रुचि-शब्दस्य विशेषणम्
चेत्if
चेत्:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle ‘if’)
रुचिःdesire, liking
रुचिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
तवof you, your
तव:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन (singular)
तेनby that, with that
तेन:
Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formसर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)
प्रदत्ताgiven
प्रदत्ता:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्र + √दा (धातु) → प्रदत्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — ‘given’
गौःcow
गौः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
तयाby her/with it
तया:
Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formसर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)
नावाboat
नावा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनौ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
प्रसर्पतिmoves forward, proceeds
प्रसर्पति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + √सृप् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
मनुजानाम्of humans
मनुजानाम्:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootमनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन (plural)
हितम्welfare, benefit
हितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootहित (कृदन्त; √धा ‘to place’ → हित, ‘placed/beneficial’)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (nom./acc.), एकवचन (singular); अत्र विशेष्यभावे ‘welfare/benefit’
दानम्gift, charity
दानम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
अन्तेat the end
अन्ते:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन (singular); क्रियाविशेषणभावे (adverbial)
वैतरणीVaitaraṇī (river/rite)
वैतरणी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)
स्मृताis remembered/called
स्मृता:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त; क्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे (passive sense) — ‘is remembered/called’
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: antya-kāla (near life’s end) / performed while alive as preparatory dāna

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna (especially go-dāna) performed for loka-hita at life’s end becomes a concrete support in the afterlife.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: righteous action and giving purify and protect; merit becomes a vehicle (nāva) for the jīva.

Application: Perform charitable giving—especially cow-gift to a worthy recipient—intentionally and ethically; treat end-of-life giving as responsibility, not transaction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river ford/ferry point (symbolic)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vaitaraṇī-vrata and Vaitaraṇī-dhenu prescriptions in the same chapter (immediately following); Garuda Purana: śrāddha/dāna sections praising go-dāna as mahā-dāna

Characters & Entities
V
Vaitarani
B
Bahula (cow)
P
Preta (implied traveler/soul)

FAQs

Vaitaraṇī is described as a critical and fearful crossing in the soul’s post-death journey; this verse highlights that end-of-life charity—especially go-dāna—becomes a saving support for crossing it.

It portrays the departed as a ‘traveler’ at a crossing where progress depends on dharmic merit; the donated cow (Bahulā) becomes the means by which a boat can proceed, symbolizing assistance earned through righteous giving.

Practice dāna with sincerity—especially support linked to compassion and sustenance (like cow-care/food charity)—and treat end-of-life rites as ethical acts of welfare, not mere formality.

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