Shloka 84
त्रयोदशे ऽह्नि स प्रेतो गृहीतो यमकिङ्करैः / तस्मिन्मार्गे ब्रजत्येको गृहीत इव मर्कटः
trayodaśe 'hni sa preto gṛhīto yamakiṅkaraiḥ / tasminmārge brajatyeko gṛhīta iva markaṭaḥ
On the thirteenth day, that preta is seized by Yama’s servants. Along that path he is made to go alone—like a monkey that has been caught and dragged away.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: 13th day (trayodaśāha)
Concept: No worldly relation can accompany the jīva; karmic law ‘takes hold’ and compels the soul onward.
Vedantic Theme: Asaṅgatva (aloneness of the jīva in experiencing karma) and the inevitability of prārabdha-like fruition in the subtle journey.
Application: Prepare inwardly through devotion and ethical life; do not postpone repentance; cultivate detachment and remembrance practices before death.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: road/route under Yama’s jurisdiction
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: role of Yamakiṅkaras/Yamadūtas in escorting the preta; Garuda Purana: timing motifs around the early post-death days and preta’s vulnerability
FAQs
This verse marks a key transition in the preta’s post-death journey: on the thirteenth day the departed is described as being taken under the control of Yama’s attendants and moved onward on the prescribed path.
It portrays the preta as traveling alone and under compulsion—escorted by Yamadūtas—emphasizing the inevitability of the karmic journey toward Yama’s domain rather than a free, self-directed movement.
Live with dharma and restraint so the post-death passage is not described as fearful or forced; and honor family śrāddha/trayodaśāha observances with sincerity as part of traditional remembrance and duty.