Shloka 105

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

व्रजन्नेवं प्रलपते कृपाणत्सरुताडितः / पराधानमभूत्सर्वंमम मूर्खशिरोमणेः

Transliteration

vrajannevaṃ pralapate kṛpāṇatsarutāḍitaḥ / parādhānamabhūtsarvaṃmama mūrkhaśiromaṇeḥ

Translation

As he is driven onward, struck by swords and clubs, he wails in this way: “All of this has become my own fault—alas, I am the very crest-jewel of fools.”

Word by Word

• व्रजन्: going
• व्रजन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• प्रलपते: laments
• प्रलपते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √लप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• कृपाणत्सरुताडितः: struck by the hilt of a sword/dagger
• कृपाणत्सरुताडितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपाण (प्रातिपदिक) + त्सरु/त्सरु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘hilt/handle’) + √तड्/√ताड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (कृपाणत्सरुणा ताडितः) तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त

• पराधानम्: shifting blame to others
• पराधानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (परस्य आधानम्) ‘placing on another’ = blaming others

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + √भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Imperfective past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वम्: entire/all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with पराधानम्)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (genitive)

• मूर्खशिरोमणेः: of the ‘crest-jewel of fools’ (i.e., of the greatest fool)
• मूर्खशिरोमणेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरोमणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; (मूर्खाणां शिरोमणिः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; सम्बन्धे

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra about the suffering of the departed soul in Yama’s path)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Suffering is owned as self-caused (svakṛta); ignorance and folly lead to painful consequences that cannot be shifted to others.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā and pramāda (heedlessness) as roots of bondage; karma as impersonal law experienced as ‘punishment’ when insight is absent.

Application: Cultivate accountability and foresight; practice dharma and restraint now to avoid later compulsion and regret.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: road/path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: yamadūta punishments during transit; repeated ‘pralāpa’ (wailing) formulas; Garuda Purana: catalogues of sins leading to beating/dragging imagery in naraka descriptions

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Pretas
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of repentance in the Garuda Purana’s description of Yama’s path?

This verse shows the soul’s remorse arising only after experiencing the consequences of its own karma, emphasizing timely ethical living and conscious atonement while alive.

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

It depicts the preta being forcibly driven and punished by Yama’s attendants, illustrating that the post-death journey reflects one’s deeds and can involve intense suffering for wrongdoing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma, avoid harmful actions, and practice regular self-correction (prāyaścitta/repentance) so that one’s karma does not mature into painful consequences.