Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

स्वयं च शून्यहृदयः समाक्रन्दति दुः खितः / तन्मासिकं च यच्छ्राद्धं भुक्त्वा तत्र सुखी भवेत्

Transliteration

svayaṃ ca śūnyahṛdayaḥ samākrandati duḥ khitaḥ / tanmāsikaṃ ca yacchrāddhaṃ bhuktvā tatra sukhī bhavet

Translation

Und er selbst, mit leerem, verödetem Herzen, klagt in tiefem Schmerz; doch indem er das für ihn dargebrachte monatliche Śrāddha empfängt und davon kostet, wird er dort glücklich.

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent-modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (reflexive adverb)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• शून्य-हृदयः: empty-hearted
• शून्य-हृदयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• समाक्रन्दति: wails loudly
• समाक्रन्दति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+क्रन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुःखितः: distressed
• दुःखितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• तत्-मासिकम्: that month’s (monthly)
• तत्-मासिकम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्मिन् मासे भवम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative pronoun link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha offering
• श्राद्धम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Gerundial modifier/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Eighth month after death (aṣṭama-māsika)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings made with śrāddhā become solace for the departed; ritual duty has compassionate efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence within saṃsāra: subtle linkage between living and departed through karma and saṃskāra; mind-state (duḥkha/sukha) is modulated by causes and supports.

Application: Perform monthly śrāddha with sincerity; accompany rites with charity/feeding to embody compassion that ‘reaches’ the vulnerable.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated motif ‘bhuktvā … सुखी भवेत्’ after māsika-śrāddha at stations; Garuda Purana: śrāddha-phala sections stating preta gains strength/comfort from offerings

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of monthly śrāddha (māsika śrāddha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the departed in the preta condition suffers and laments, but becomes comforted and happy when the monthly śrāddha offering made for him is received—showing māsika śrāddha as a direct support-rite for the deceased.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It portrays an intermediate, distressed post-death condition (preta-bhāva) where the departed experiences emptiness and grief, and indicates that ritual offerings from the living can bring relief in that state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform the prescribed monthly śrāddha (with sincerity and purity) for departed relatives, and live responsibly so that one’s life supports dharma—both ritual care for ancestors and ethical conduct are emphasized in Garuda Purana teachings.