Shloka 37

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

तृप्तिं प्रयान्ति ते सर्वे प्रत्यहं चैव वत्सरम् / एवमादिकृतैः पुण्यैः क्रमात्सौरिपुरं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

tṛptiṃ prayānti te sarve pratyahaṃ caiva vatsaram / evamādikṛtaiḥ puṇyaiḥ kramātsauripuraṃ vrajet

Translation

Sie alle gelangen Tag für Tag zur Sättigung, wahrlich ein volles Jahr lang. Durch die Verdienste, die aus solchen Handlungen und ähnlichen Riten erwachsen, schreitet man allmählich nach Sauripura, der Stadt Yamas.

Word by Word

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction, contentment
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रयान्ति: they attain, they reach
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they, those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते इति)

• प्रत्यहम्: every day
• प्रत्यहम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + अहन् (अव्ययीभाव-समास; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

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

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वत्सरम्: (for) a year
• वत्सरम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• आदि: and the like, etc.
• आदि: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); 'etc.' अर्थे

• कृतैः: done, performed
• कृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (पुण्यैः इति)

• एवम्-आदि-कृतैः: by merits done in such and such ways, etc.
• एवम्-आदि-कृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (एवमादि-), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (पुण्यैः)

• पुण्यैः: by merits, by virtuous deeds
• पुण्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्रमात्: gradually, in order
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (ablatival adverb); क्रमशः (in due order)

• सौरि-पुरम्: the city/abode of Sauri (Yama)
• सौरि-पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौरि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सौरेः पुरम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go, may proceed
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Daily benefit stated for one year (pratyahaṃ… vatsa ram) within the post-death period.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puṇya accrued through prescribed rites yields tangible post-mortem support and advances the soul along the Yama-mārga.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati within saṃsāra; ritual action as auxiliary support (upakāraka) for the jīva’s journey.

Application: Perform śrāddha/pinda-dāna and allied rites with regularity and faith, understanding their stated time-bound benefit (daily satisfaction for a year).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: pura/nagara

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta’s year-long dependence on offerings and the Yama-mārga; Garuda Purana: śrāddha sections describing tṛpti to preta/pitṛs through piṇḍa and udaka

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Sauripura

FAQs

What is the importance of tṛpti (satisfaction) in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse states that through prescribed rites (evam-ādi-kṛtaiḥ), the departed attain daily satisfaction for a year, indicating the intended supportive effect of Shraddha/Pinda offerings on the preta’s condition.

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

It presents the journey as gradual (kramāt): supported by accumulated merit from proper rites, the being proceeds toward Sauripura, identified here as Yama’s city/realm in the afterlife narrative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform post-death duties conscientiously—Shraddha, charity, and related dharmic acts—understanding them as merit-generating supports for the departed and as disciplines that cultivate responsibility and remembrance in the living.