Shloka 91

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

प्रदीप्तादित्यतप्ते च दह्यमानः सदंशके / कृष्यते यमदूतैश्च शिवावन्नादभीषणैः

Transliteration

pradīptādityatapte ca dahyamānaḥ sadaṃśake / kṛṣyate yamadūtaiśca śivāvannādabhīṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

In der Gegend, die von der glühenden Sonne versengt wird, brennt das Wesen inmitten stechender und beißender Kreaturen; und es wird von Yamas Boten fortgeschleift, furchterregend durch ihre rauen, unheilvollen Rufe.

Word by Word

• प्रदीप्तादित्यतप्ते: in a place scorched by the blazing sun
• प्रदीप्तादित्यतप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रदीप्त-आदित्य-तप्त (प्रातिपदिक; प्रदीप्त + आदित्य + तप्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘प्रदीप्तेन आदित्येन तप्ते (स्थाने)’

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

• दह्यमानः: being burned
• दह्यमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/मान), कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थक; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदंशके: in a place with biting insects
• सदंशके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-दंशक (प्रातिपदिक; स + दंशक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘सह दंशकैः’ (with biting insects)

• कृष्यते: is dragged
• कृष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• यमदूतैः: by Yama’s messengers
• यमदूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-दूत (प्रातिपदिक; यम + दूत)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य दूताः)

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

• शिवावत्: like jackals (or like ‘śiva’ beings)
• शिवावत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिववत् (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + वत्)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• नादभीषणैः: terrifying with their cries
• नादभीषणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाद-भीषण (प्रातिपदिक; नाद + भीषण)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘नादेन भीषणाः’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Suffering arises as embodied experience of past actions; the jīva undergoes heat, bites, and fear under karmic enforcement.

Vedantic Theme: Duḥkha as karma-vipāka; the jīva’s vulnerability when separated from dharma and divine refuge.

Application: Adopt dharmic living and devotional refuge to reduce fear; practice compassion (non-cruelty) to avoid mirrored torment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: wasteland/heat-blasted region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: motifs of blazing sun, biting creatures, and Yamadūtas’ terrifying sounds recur in the journey narrative.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama’s messengers (Yamadutas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse depicts Yamadutas as the karmic enforcers who drag the suffering being through harsh post-death regions, emphasizing that consequences follow one’s actions.

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

It portrays a punitive segment of the post-death journey where the preta experiences heat, burning, and torment by biting creatures, while being driven onward by Yamadutas—an image of karma ripening after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma, reduce harm to others, and support traditional death rites and remembrance practices, which the Garuda Purana presents as aids for a smoother post-death passage.