Shloka 34

Yama-mārga (Adhvan) and the Courts of Yama: Vaivasvatī and Chitragupta

Devanagari script

यमदूतैर्महापाशैर्हन्यमानाश्च मुद्गरैः / वध्यन्ते विविधैः पापैः पूर्वकर्मकृतैर्नराः

Transliteration

yamadūtairmahāpāśairhanyamānāśca mudgaraiḥ / vadhyante vividhaiḥ pāpaiḥ pūrvakarmakṛtairnarāḥ

Translation

Von Yamas Boten mit mächtigen Schlingen getroffen und mit Keulen geschlagen, werden die Menschen auf vielfältige Weise bestraft—gemäß den Sünden, die sie durch frühere Taten begingen.

Word by Word

• yamadūtaiḥ: by Yama’s messengers
• yamadūtaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष (यमस्य दूतैः)

• mahāpāśaiḥ: with great nooses
• mahāpāśaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान्तः पाशाः)

• hanyamānāḥ: being struck/killed
• hanyamānāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शतृ-प्रत्यय (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

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

• mudgaraiḥ: with clubs/hammers
• mudgaraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mudgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• vadhyante: are slain/are punished
• vadhyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• vividhaiḥ: various
• vividhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• pāpaiḥ: by sins/evil acts
• pāpaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• pūrvakarmakṛtaiḥ: caused by past actions
• pūrvakarmakṛtaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पूर्वकर्मणा कृतैः = done by former deeds)

• narāḥ: men (souls)
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-vipāka proportionality: diverse punishments correspond to diverse prior sins.

Vedantic Theme: Causality binding the jīva through adharma; experiential fruition (bhoga) as purification/settlement within saṃsāra.

Application: Recognize consequences as structured (not random); adopt prāyaścitta, charity, and dharmic living to reduce papa and its vipāka.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: court/penal corridor

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yamadūta instruments (pāśa, mudgara) and graded punishments; Garuda Purana: catalogues of sins and corresponding narakas in later sections

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of Yamadutas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Yamadutas as the agents of karmic justice who restrain and punish beings according to the specific sins created by their prior actions.

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

It indicates that after death the person encounters Yama’s messengers and undergoes experiences of restraint and torment that correspond directly to one’s accumulated sinful karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with ethical restraint and accountability—since actions have consequences—while supporting dharmic conduct and remedial practices (repentance, charity, and appropriate rites) to reduce harmful karmic tendencies.