Shloka 5

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

केचित्पुनर्यातनानां यामीनामुपभोगतः / पश्चाद्देहान्तरप्राप्तिं वदन्ति किमु तत्रसत्

Transliteration

kecitpunaryātanānāṃ yāmīnāmupabhogataḥ / paścāddehāntaraprāptiṃ vadanti kimu tatrasat

Translation

Some say that after undergoing and exhausting the Yama-born torments, one thereafter attains another body. What, then, is the truth in this matter?

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क-चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक + अव्यय ‘चित्’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-समूहवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• यातनानाम्: of the torments
• यातनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• यामीनाम्: nightly; occurring at night
• यामीनाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘यातनानाम्’)

• उपभोगतः: from (their) experiencing; as a result of enjoyment/undergoing
• उपभोगतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-भुज् (धातु) → उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिलन्त (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’ = ‘from/by reason of’

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• देहान्तरप्राप्तिम्: attainment of another body (rebirth)
• देहान्तरप्राप्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समासार्थः ‘देहान्तरस्य प्राप्तिः’

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• उ: indeed/then (emphatic)
• उ: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) प्रश्न/उत्कर्षार्थक

• तत्र: there; in that matter
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/विषयवाचक (locative adverb)

• सत्: true; valid (fact)
• सत्: Karta/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अस्’ धातोः वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाववाचक ‘सत्यं/यथार्थम्’

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Whether the exhaustion of Yama-born torments leads to subsequent embodiment (dehāntara-prāpti) and what is the correct doctrine.

Vedantic Theme: Saṁsāra-cakra under karma; need for pramāṇa-based clarity to dispel saṁśaya.

Application: Cultivate right understanding of karma and afterlife consequences; use the teaching to motivate ethical restraint and devotion rather than speculation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic jurisdiction

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: yātanā-nirūpaṇa and dehāntara/pretayoni discussions (adjacent adhyāyas); Garuda Purana: Krishna–Garuda saṁvāda framing passages (opening of Pretakalpa)

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama’s punishments (yātanā) in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames yātanā as karma’s experienced fruition and raises the doctrinal question of what follows—hinting that punishments are not the final end but part of the soul’s post-death accounting.

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

It presents a key junction in the narrative: after suffering Yama-related torments, some traditions claim the jīva proceeds to dehāntara (another embodiment), and Garuda asks Vishnu to clarify the correct sequence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness that actions bear consequences beyond death; prioritize dharma, restraint, and remedial rites (where appropriate) to reduce harmful karmic outcomes.