Shloka 16
एकदा प्राप्तकालस्तु निधनं प्राप्तवान्द्विज । यमदूताः समायाता बद्ध्वा नीतो यमालयम्
ekadā prāptakālastu nidhanaṃ prāptavāndvija | yamadūtāḥ samāyātā baddhvā nīto yamālayam
Eines Tages, als seine bestimmte Stunde gekommen war, fand der Brahmane den Tod. Die Boten Yamas kamen, fesselten ihn und führten ihn in Yamas Wohnstatt.
Narrator (contextual storyteller within the chapter; specific dialogue speaker not explicit in this single verse)
Concept: Death arrives at its appointed time; karmic forces draw the jīva toward judgment unless countered by higher refuge.
Application: Live with awareness of mortality; cultivate daily remembrance and at least one sincere devotional practice that can stand as your ‘witness’ at the end.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grim procession through a shadowed corridor between worlds: Yamadūtas—dark, formidable attendants—bind the brāhmaṇa with rope and drag him across a threshold marked by smoky winds and ember-like sparks. In the distance rises Yamālaya, a vast iron-hued court with towering gates, hinting at inevitable karmic reckoning.","primary_figures":["Sudarśana (departed jīva)","Yamadūtas","Gatekeepers of Yamālaya (optional)"],"setting":"Liminal path to the underworld court; ash-laden air, distant fortress-like hall of judgment.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["iron gray","ashen white","ember orange","deep maroon","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic Yamadūtas with stylized fierce faces and ornate yet ominous armor; Sudarśana bound with rope; Yamālaya gate in the background with gold leaf used sparingly as harsh highlights on weapons and gate ornaments; rich dark reds and blacks dominating the composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a narrow, winding path under a cold moon; delicate but tense figures of Yamadūtas leading a bound man; architectural suggestion of a distant fortress court; restrained palette with sharp contrasts, refined expressions conveying fear and inevitability.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized fierce attendants; swirling smoke motifs; Yamālaya rendered as a temple-like court but in dark pigments; expressive eyes and dynamic posture; red-black-yellow contrasts emphasizing dread.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical rendering—dark attendants at the margins, central path bordered by thorny floral motifs instead of lotuses; deep indigo cloth with ember-orange highlights; ornate border patterns repurposed to convey moral warning rather than celebration."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder rumble","chain clinks","wind howl","distant drum"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राप्तकालस्तु → प्राप्तकालः तु; प्राप्तवान्द्विज → प्राप्तवान् द्विज; यमालयम् (यम-आलयम्) समास।
FAQs
It presents death as occurring when one’s prāpta-kāla—one’s destined or appointed time—arrives, emphasizing karmic order rather than randomness.
The Yamadūtas are the emissaries of Yama, the lord of justice and death, who escort the deceased toward Yama’s realm for post-death judgment.
The verse implies accountability: actions have consequences, and after death one is subject to moral evaluation, encouraging righteous conduct while alive.