Shloka 76

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

त्रयोदशे ऽह्नि स प्रेतो नीयते च महापथे / पिण्डजं देहमाश्रित्य दिवा नक्तं बुभुक्षितः

Transliteration

trayodaśe 'hni sa preto nīyate ca mahāpathe / piṇḍajaṃ dehamāśritya divā naktaṃ bubhukṣitaḥ

Translation

On the thirteenth day, that preta (departed spirit) is led along the Great Path. Taking refuge in a body formed from the funeral piṇḍas, it remains hungry by day and by night.

Word by Word

• त्रयोदशे: on the thirteenth
• त्रयोदशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; (locative singular)

• अह्नि: day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; (locative singular)

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; (pronoun, nominative singular)

• प्रेतः: the departed spirit (preta)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; (nominative singular)

• नीयते: is led
• नीयते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; (is led)

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

• महापथे: on the great road
• महापथे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापथ (प्रातिपदिक: महा + पथ)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; (locative singular)

• पिण्डजम्: born of the piṇḍa (funeral offering)
• पिण्डजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिण्डज (प्रातिपदिक: पिण्ड + ज)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; (accusative singular)

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; (accusative singular)

• आश्रित्य: having taken refuge in / having assumed
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); (having resorted to)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• नक्तम्: by night
• नक्तम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• बुभुक्षितः: hungry
• बुभुक्षितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुभुक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण from desiderative of भुज्)
• Form: भूतकालिक-विशेषण (past participial adjective); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; (nominative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Trayodaśāha (13th day)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The preta’s interim embodiment and hunger indicate dependence on rites and prior merit; embodied experience continues in subtle form after death.

Vedantic Theme: Preta-śarīra as a karma-conditioned upādhi; continuity of saṁskāra and bhoga beyond gross death.

Application: Perform timely śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna (especially around the 13th day) with faith and purity to support the departed’s journey.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: transitional road/path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta-body formed from piṇḍas and the day-counted journey to Yama; Garuda Purana: śrāddha-mahātmyas linking offerings to preta’s relief

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of the thirteenth day (trayodaśāha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that on the 13th day the preta is formally led onto the “Great Path” toward Yama’s domain, marking a key transition in the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.

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

It depicts the preta being conducted along the mahāpatha and indicates that its experience is embodied—supported by a pinda-derived body—yet still marked by hunger, emphasizing the precarious state of the departed before full rites are completed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It underscores the ritual and ethical seriousness of śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna: caring for the departed through prescribed rites is presented as alleviating the preta’s distress during its journey.