Shloka 78

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

मार्गे चैतानि दुः खानि असिपत्रवनान्विते / क्षुत्पिपासार्दितो नित्यं यमदृतैः प्रपीडितः

Transliteration

mārge caitāni duḥ khāni asipatravanānvite / kṣutpipāsārdito nityaṃ yamadṛtaiḥ prapīḍitaḥ

Translation

On that road—beset with the forest of sword-like leaves—these are the sufferings: the departed soul is constantly tormented by hunger and thirst, and is relentlessly oppressed by Yama’s messengers.

Word by Word

• मार्गे: on the path
• मार्गे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; (locative singular)

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

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (nominative plural)

• दुःखानि: sufferings
• दुःखानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (apposition to एतानि)

• असिपत्रवनान्विते: (on the path) accompanied by the forest of sword-leaves
• असिपत्रवनान्विते: Adhikarana (Locative-qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण from अन्वि/अनु-इ) + असिपत्रवन (प्रातिपदिक: असि + पत्र + वन)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (असिपत्रवन-सम्बद्धः); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; अत्र मार्गे इति विशेषणम् (locative singular)

• क्षुत्पिपासार्दितः: afflicted by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्पिपासार्दितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द् (धातु) + क्षुत् + पिपासा (समास-पदानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participial adjective) ‘ardita’; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभावः (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable)

• यमदूतैः: by Yama's messengers
• यमदूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमदूत (प्रातिपदिक: यम + दूत)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम्; (instrumental plural)

• प्रपीडितः: tormented
• प्रपीडितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-पीड् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Suffering is structured and administered: hunger/thirst and yamadūta pressure are karma’s embodied pedagogy.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as experiential ‘world-making’; the jīva’s bondage persists through subtle embodiment until adjudication and exhaustion of results.

Application: Use the imagery as ethical deterrent; practice prāyaścitta, charity, and devotion to reduce papa and cultivate sattva.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: fearsome forest/region on the path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Asipatravana and yamadūta torments recur in naraka/journey descriptions; Garuda Purana: lists of narakas where asipatra imagery appears

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas
• Asipatravana

FAQs

What is the importance of Asipatravana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses Asipatravana—the fearsome “forest of sword-like leaves”—to emphasize the harsh, punitive terrain encountered on the preta’s route under Yama’s jurisdiction, illustrating consequences tied to wrongdoing and lack of dharma.

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

It portrays the departed (preta) as traveling a difficult road where hunger, thirst, and the coercion of Yamadutas are constant, indicating an enforced journey toward Yama’s realm rather than a comfortable passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma—avoid harm and unethical actions—and support death-rites and charity with sincerity, cultivating compassion so one’s post-death journey is not described as driven by fear, deprivation, and punishment.