Shloka 5

Arrival at Yama’s cities: Citragupta’s scrutiny, Dharmadhvaja’s gate, and the necessity of dāna

Devanagari script

गत्वा च तत्र ते सर्वे प्रतीहारं वदन्ति हि / धर्मध्वजप्रतीहारस्तत्र तिष्ठति सर्वदा

Transliteration

gatvā ca tatra te sarve pratīhāraṃ vadanti hi / dharmadhvajapratīhārastatra tiṣṭhati sarvadā

Translation

Dort angekommen rufen sie alle wahrlich den Torhüter; denn dort steht stets der Pförtner namens Dharmadhvaja, das Banner des Dharma, unablässig im Dienst.

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural) — pronoun ‘they/those’

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• प्रतीहारम्: the doorkeeper/attendant
• प्रतीहारम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वदन्ति: they speak/tell
• वदन्ति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• धर्मध्वजप्रतीहारः: Dharmadhvaja’s doorkeeper
• धर्मध्वजप्रतीहारः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतीहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मध्वजस्य प्रतीहारः = doorkeeper of Dharmadhvaja)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: परलोकमार्गे धर्म-व्यवस्था तथा कर्म-लेख्य-नियमनम्

Vedantic Theme: कर्मफल-नियमः (ऋत/धर्म-व्यवस्था)

Application: जीवने धर्मानुसारं आचरणं कृत्वा ‘हिसाब’ इव कर्म-लेख्यं शुद्धं कर्तुम्

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: gateway/checkpoint

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: यमदूत-मार्ग-वर्णन, यमसभा/द्वारपाल-वर्णन (सामान्य-प्रकरण); Garuda Purana: कर्मविपाक-निर्णय-प्रकरण (शुभाशुभ-निर्णय)

Characters & Entities

• Dharmadhvaja
• Pratihara (gatekeeper)

FAQs

What is the importance of Dharmadhvaja in the Garuda Purana?

Dharmadhvaja is presented as the ever-present gatekeeper at the destination reached by the departed, symbolizing an ordered, dharma-governed entry into the realm where the soul’s case proceeds.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It depicts the traveler(s) arriving at a specific threshold and formally addressing a gatekeeper, implying that the soul’s journey includes defined stations and regulated access rather than a random passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with accountability: the verse reinforces that actions meet structured moral consequences, encouraging dharmic conduct and mindful observance of death-related rites with sincerity.