Shloka 101

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

तत्र नाम्ना तु राजासौ जङ्गमः कामरूपधृक् / भयात् तद्दर्शनाज्जाताद्भुङ्क्ते पिण्डं स शङ्कितः

Transliteration

tatra nāmnā tu rājāsau jaṅgamaḥ kāmarūpadhṛk / bhayāt taddarśanājjātādbhuṅkte piṇḍaṃ sa śaṅkitaḥ

Translation

Dort gibt es einen Herrscher namens Jaṅgama, ein Wesen, das nach Belieben jede Gestalt annehmen kann. Bei seinem Anblick wird der Verstorbene von Furcht ergriffen und verzehrt, ängstlich und misstrauisch, die Piṇḍa-Opfergabe.

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• asau: that (one), he
• asau: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• jaṅgamaḥ: moving/roaming
• jaṅgamaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (rājā)

• kāma-rūpa-dhṛk: assuming forms at will
• kāma-rūpa-dhṛk: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛk (प्रातिपदिक; √dhṛ क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (kāmaṃ rūpaṃ dharati)

• bhayāt: from fear/out of fear
• bhayāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• tat-darśanāt: from seeing that (being)
• tat-darśanāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya darśanāt)

• jātāt: arising (from)
• jātāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; 'arisen/produced' (ablative: 'arising from')

• bhuṅkte: eats/enjoys
• bhuṅkte: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• piṇḍam: rice-ball offering
• piṇḍam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śaṅkitaḥ: frightened/suspicious
• śaṅkitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śaṅk (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (saḥ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In the afterlife, beings of authority manifest fear and compel compliance; the preta clings to piṇḍa as support amid karmic governance.

Vedantic Theme: saṃsāra as governed experience under adhyakṣa (cosmic oversight); fear as fruit of adharma and attachment

Application: Reduce fear through dharmic living and timely rites; cultivate remembrance of the divine so the mind is steadier at transitions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: jurisdictional checkpoint/realm of a local Yama-path ruler

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: various Yama-agents and rulers encountered en route; fear and coercion motifs; Garuda Purana: piṇḍa as immediate support for the preta

Characters & Entities

• Jaṅgama
• Preta
• Piṇḍa

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa (piṇḍa-dāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows the piṇḍa as a real source of sustenance for the departed; even under fear and pressure, the preta consumes the offered piṇḍa, highlighting why timely offerings are emphasized.

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

It portrays the post-death journey as involving encounters with formidable beings (like Jaṅgama) that induce fear; amid such conditions, the preta relies on ritual support—here, the piṇḍa—to continue.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with care and punctuality, and cultivate steadiness in dharma—supporting ancestors ritually while living in a way that reduces fear and agitation at life’s end.