Shloka 23

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

तदैव नीयते दूतैर्याम्यैर्वोक्षन्स्वकं गृहम् / निर्विचेष्टं शरीरं तु प्राणैर्मुक्तं जुगुप्सितम्

Transliteration

tadaiva nīyate dūtairyāmyairvokṣansvakaṃ gṛham / nirviceṣṭaṃ śarīraṃ tu prāṇairmuktaṃ jugupsitam

Translation

At that very moment, the messengers of Yama lead the departed away, saying, “Come—let us take you to your own abode, the realm shaped by your deeds.” Meanwhile the body, released from the vital breaths, lies motionless—abandoned and repulsive.

Word by Word

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• nīyate: is led; is taken
• nīyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु; नयने)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• dūtaiḥ: by messengers
• dūtaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• yāmyaiḥ: of Yama
• yāmyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (dūtaiḥ)

• vokṣan: speaking; saying
• vokṣan: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु; वचने)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘वक्षन्’ (speaking)

• svakam: one’s own
• svakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (gṛham)

• gṛham: house; home
• gṛham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• nir-viceṣṭam: motionless; inert
• nir-viceṣṭam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + viceṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (śarīram)

• śarīram: body
• śarīram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (contrastive particle)

• prāṇaiḥ: by the vital breaths; life-forces
• prāṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• muktam: released; abandoned
• muktam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √muc (धातु; मोचने)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (śarīram)

• jugupsitam: loathsome; disgusting
• jugupsitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gup (धातु; गोपने) with desiderative stem jugups- (जुगुप्स्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (PPP) from desiderative ‘jugups-’ (to loathe), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (śarīram)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body is not the self; once prāṇa departs it becomes inert and repulsive, while the jīva continues under karmic direction.

Vedantic Theme: Deha-ātma-bheda (difference between body and self); anityatā and vairāgya as supports for liberation.

Application: Practice non-identification with the body; prioritize inner cultivation and ethical action over bodily vanity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: processional path/escort route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yamadūtas escorting the departed; descriptions of the corpse’s condition (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadūtas

FAQs

What is the importance of Yamadūtas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Yamadūtas as the agents who escort the departed immediately after death, initiating the post-death journey according to karma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It distinguishes the departing being from the physical body: the body becomes motionless once prāṇa leaves, while the departed is led onward by Yama’s messengers toward a karmically determined destination.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages detachment from the body and emphasis on ethical living, since the post-death journey is portrayed as governed by one’s actions rather than by physical identity.