Shloka 27

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

कार्पासद्रोणशिखरे आसीनं ताम्रभाजने / यमं हैमं प्रकुर्वीत लोहदण्डसमन्वितम् / इक्षुदण्डमयं बद्ध्वा प्लवं सुदृढबन्धनैः

Transliteration

kārpāsadroṇaśikhare āsīnaṃ tāmrabhājane / yamaṃ haimaṃ prakurvīta lohadaṇḍasamanvitam / ikṣudaṇḍamayaṃ baddhvā plavaṃ sudṛḍhabandhanaiḥ

Translation

Man soll ein goldenes Bildnis Yamas anfertigen, auf der Spitze eines Baumwollhaufens sitzend und in ein Kupfergefäß gestellt, versehen mit einem Eisenstab; und man soll auch ein Floß aus Zuckerrohrstängeln machen und es mit starken Bindungen fest verschnüren.

Word by Word

• कार्पास-द्रोण-शिखरे: on the top of a cotton heap/basket
• कार्पास-द्रोण-शिखरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पास (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कार्पासस्य द्रोणः, तस्य शिखरम्)

• आसीनम्: seated
• आसीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘seated’

• ताम्र-भाजने: in a copper vessel
• ताम्र-भाजने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ताम्रस्य भाजनम्)

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• हैमम्: golden
• हैमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying यमम्)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should fashion/make
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• लोह-दण्ड-समन्वितम्: provided with an iron staff
• लोह-दण्ड-समन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोहदण्डेन समन्वितः)

• इक्षु-दण्ड-मयम्: made of sugarcane-stalks
• इक्षु-दण्ड-मयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इक्षु (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (इक्षुदण्डेन निर्मितम्)

• बद्ध्वा: having tied
• बद्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having tied’

• प्लवम्: a raft/float
• प्लवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• सु-दृढ-बन्धनैः: with very strong bindings
• सु-दृढ-बन्धनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + दृढ (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुदृढानि बन्धनानि)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Preta-related śrāddha sequence; preparatory dāna/kalpana before mantra and offering

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Acknowledging Yama as dharma-rāja: ritual acts align the living with cosmic order and seek lawful passage for the departed.

Vedantic Theme: Iśvara-niyati and moral causality: the soul meets the fruits of action under dharma’s governance.

Application: Use ritual symbolism to cultivate accountability and remembrance of mortality; pair rites with ethical living to reduce ‘fear of judgment’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: liminal-gate imagery; ritual representation on earth

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.47.26 (dhenu preparation); Garuda Purana 2.47.28 (cow on boat); Garuda Purana 2.47.30 (Vaitaraṇī mantra at Yama’s gate)

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of preparing a Yama image in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Yama’s image (with staff, placed properly) as a prescribed ritual symbol of divine judgment and order, used to orient the rites for the departed toward dharma and the regulated path of the preta’s journey.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s path after death?

By prescribing specific ritual objects—Yama with his staff and a firmly bound raft—it reflects the text’s broader theme that post-death transitions are supported by dharmic rites and symbolic provisions connected to Yama’s realm and the preta’s passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Even when simplified, the takeaway is to perform last rites with care, authenticity, and steadiness—ensuring offerings and memorial actions are done responsibly, with remembrance, ethical living, and respect for traditional procedures.