Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

(ततः प्रचलितो पोतो बहुर्घमतृषार्दितः) / द्वादशे मासि यच्छ्राद्धं तत्र भुङ्क्ते सुदुः शितः

Transliteration

(tataḥ pracalito poto bahurghamatṛṣārditaḥ) / dvādaśe māsi yacchrāddhaṃ tatra bhuṅkte suduḥ śitaḥ

Translation

Dann wird der Verstorbene in einem Boot weitergetrieben, schwer gequält von Hitze und Durst. Welches Śrāddha auch immer im zwölften Monat dargebracht wird, daran nimmt er dort teil, doch bleibt er in bitterer Not.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter/from there
• ततः: Apadana/Sequence (Source/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (from there/thereafter)

• प्रचलितः: set in motion/driven
• प्रचलितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• पोतः: boat/ferry
• पोतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पोत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहुः: much/great
• बहुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पोतः)

• घम-तृषा-आर्दितः: afflicted by heat and thirst
• घम-तृषा-आर्दितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घम (प्रातिपदिक) + तृषा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्दित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपदसमासः (घमः च तृषा च) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (आर्दितः = पीडितः)

• द्वादशे: in the twelfth
• द्वादशे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मासि)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Location/Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: which/that (what)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative)

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

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/अवसरवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• भुङ्क्ते: eats/partakes
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सुदुःशितः: very ill-treated/very distressed
• सुदुःशितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुःशित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + दुःशितः = अत्यन्तं दुःशितः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Twelfth month (द्वादशे मासि)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha in the twelfth month reaches the departed even amid transit; ritual duty persists as a tangible support though not a full cure for karmic distress.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle embodiment (liṅga-śarīra) experiences; dharma as supportive upāya within saṃsāric continuity.

Application: Do the twelfth-month śrāddha punctually; accompany rites with charity (water, food) and Viṣṇu-smaraṇa to strengthen supportive merit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: river/boat passage (transitional route)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: twelfth-month śrāddha and preta’s onward movement (context around 2.16.40–2.16.55); Garuda Purana: imagery of forced travel and thirst/heat torments for pretas

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Shraddha

FAQs

What is the importance of the twelfth-month Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that offerings made in the twelfth month become the preta’s sustenance in that stage of the journey, indicating a specific time-linked benefit of Śrāddha.

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

It depicts the preta being driven onward in a boat-like passage while suffering from intense heat and thirst, and shows that Śrāddha offerings can still reach and support the departed during this hardship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform Śrāddha with sincerity and timely observance (especially the annual/monthly milestones), treating it as a duty of care for the departed and as a discipline of gratitude and dharma for the living.