Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

धर्मराजञ्च सर्वेशं वैतरण्याख्यधेनुकाम् / सर्वं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्

Transliteration

dharmarājañca sarveśaṃ vaitaraṇyākhyadhenukām / sarvaṃ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya brāhmaṇāya nivedayet

Translation

Nachdem man Dharmarāja (Yama), den Herrn über alles, und die als „Vaitaraṇī“ bekannte Kuhgabe geehrt hat, soll man über Ritus und Opfergaben die Pradakṣiṇā (ehrfürchtige Umrundung) vollziehen und sie dann feierlich einem Brāhmaṇa darbringen.

Word by Word

• धर्मराजम्: Dharmaraja (Yama)
• धर्मराजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + राजन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य राजा)

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

• सर्वेशम्: the Lord of all
• सर्वेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वेश (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषाम् ईशः)

• वैतरणी-आख्या-धेनुकाम्: the cow-figure named ‘Vaitaraṇī’
• वैतरणी-आख्या-धेनुकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + धेनुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (वैतरणी-आख्या) कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘वैतरणी इति आख्या’ + तत्पुरुषः ‘वैतरण्याख्या धेनुका’

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्दः

• प्रदक्षिणी-कृत्य: having circumambulated
• प्रदक्षिणी-कृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दक्षिणी + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (gerund/absolutive); धातुः √कृ (करणे)

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• निवेदयेत्: should offer/present
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु) / निवेदय (णिजन्त-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातुः √विद् (ज्ञाने) → णिजन्त ‘निवेदयति’ = ‘समर्पयति’

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During preta-related śrāddha sequence (as prescribed in this context) before/alongside subsequent śrāddha stages.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual correctness (vidhi)—honoring Dharmarāja and offering Vaitaraṇī-dhenu to a brāhmaṇa—supports the departed and upholds cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as expression of ṛta; karma-kāṇḍa as preparatory support that reduces fear and purifies intention.

Application: When performing śrāddha-related dāna, follow procedure: invoke/acknowledge dharma, circumambulate with reverence, and offer to a qualified recipient.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual arena (gṛha/śrāddha-sthāna) with invoked cosmic authority

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.47: procedural steps for Vaitaraṇī-dhenu dāna; Garuda Purana: śrāddha-vidhi sections emphasizing pradakṣiṇā and formal nivedana

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaraja (Yama)
• Brahmana

FAQs

What is the importance of Vaitaraṇī-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Vaitaraṇī-dāna as a formal, complete rite—honoring Dharmarāja and then gifting the Vaitaraṇī cow—intended to support the departed in the after-death passage associated with the Vaitaraṇī.

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

By linking the rite to Dharmarāja (Yama) and the Vaitaraṇī cow-gift, the verse points to the soul’s post-death jurisdiction under Yama and the need for prescribed donations that symbolically aid safe passage through fearsome transitional stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha-related donations with clarity and completeness—respectful circumambulation, proper intention, and giving to a qualified Brāhmaṇa—while treating charity and dharma as support for both the departed and the living.