Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

चत्वारिंशद्योजनानि चतुर्युक्तानि वै ततः / धर्मराजपुरं रम्यं गन्धर्वाप्सराकुलम्

Transliteration

catvāriṃśadyojanāni caturyuktāni vai tataḥ / dharmarājapuraṃ ramyaṃ gandharvāpsarākulam

Translation

Von dort, in einer Entfernung von vierzig Yojanas, liegt die liebliche Stadt des Dharmarāja (Yama), erfüllt von Gandharvas und Apsarās.

Word by Word

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अव्ययप्राय; ‘forty’ (used as numeral qualifier)

• योजनानि: yojanas (a measure of distance)
• योजनानि: Karma (Measure/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• चतुर्युक्तानि: joined with four (more); plus four
• चतुर्युक्तानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चतुर्भिः युक्तानि)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• ततः: from there; thereafter
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/देश-कालवाचक (from there/then)

• धर्मराजपुरम्: the city of Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजपुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मराजस्य पुरम्)

• रम्यम्: beautiful; delightful
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• गन्धर्वाप्सराकुलम्: filled with Gandharvas and Apsarases
• गन्धर्वाप्सराकुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; (गन्धर्व + अप्सरस्) इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः, ततः ‘आकुल’ इति तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभावः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The soul’s journey proceeds to Yama’s jurisdiction; moral causality is institutionalized as a realm of judgment.

Vedantic Theme: Cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) manifesting as a structured afterlife geography; accountability beyond bodily life.

Application: Live with awareness of accountability; let the imagery of Yama’s city function as a moral reminder to align actions with dharma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of Yamaloka, its distances and features (surrounding 2.16.47–50)

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaraja (Yama)
• Gandharvas
• Apsaras

FAQs

What is the importance of Dharmarāja’s city in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Dharmarāja’s city as a defined destination on the post-death route, emphasizing that the afterlife is governed by dharma and adjudication under Yama.

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

It marks a measurable stage—“forty yojanas from there”—indicating the journey proceeds through successive stations until reaching Yama’s realm for assessment of deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and accountability in mind—ethical conduct and sincere rites for the departed (as taught in the Preta Kanda) are seen as supportive in the soul’s onward passage.