Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 113

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

व्रजन्नेवं विलपते पट्टिशैः पातितः पथि / हा मातर्हापितर्भ्रातः सुता हा हा मम स्त्रियः

Transliteration

vrajannevaṃ vilapate paṭṭiśaiḥ pātitaḥ pathi / hā mātarhāpitarbhrātaḥ sutā hā hā mama striyaḥ

Translation

As he goes on, lamenting like this, he is struck down on the road with sharp blades. Crying out—“O mother! O father! O brother! O son! Alas, alas—my wife!”—he wails in anguish.

Word by Word

• व्रजन्: going
• व्रजन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• विलपते: laments
• विलपते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पट्टिशैः: with axes/swords
• पट्टिशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्टिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• पातितः: struck down
• पातितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) + णिच् (caus.) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) 'पातित' = caused to fall/struck down; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (व्रजन्)

• पथि: on the path
• पथि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• हा: alas!
• हा: Sambodhana (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्गार/विस्मयादि) = interjection

• मातर्: O mother!
• मातर्: Sambodhana (Address/संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/संबोधन), एकवचन

• हा: alas!
• हा: Sambodhana (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्गार)

• पितर्: O father!
• पितर्: Sambodhana (Address/संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन

• भ्रातः: O brother!
• भ्रातः: Sambodhana (Address/संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन

• सुताः: O sons!
• सुताः: Sambodhana (Address/संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, बहुवचन (पाठे 'सुता' इति; अर्थतः 'सुताः' voc.pl.)

• हा: alas!
• हा: Sambodhana (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्गार)

• हा: alas!
• हा: Sambodhana (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्गार)

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

• स्त्रियः: O wives/women!
• स्त्रियः: Sambodhana (Address/संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचन (संदर्भे संबोधन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Attachment erupts as lament, yet the journey proceeds under forces shaped by one’s deeds; worldly bonds cannot intervene.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of worldly relations; jīva’s isolation when karma ripens.

Application: Cultivate detachment and spiritual preparation while alive; support the dying with dharma-instruction and remembrance practices rather than mere emotional clinging.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: path (preta-mārga)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated depictions of the preta’s suffering on the road and calling out to relatives; Garuda Purana: Yama-dūta narratives where lamentation is contrasted with karmic necessity

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Family relations (mother, father, brother, son, wife)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Preta’s lament in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights how intense attachment to family resurfaces after death, becoming a cause of anguish as the preta undergoes painful experiences on the way to Yama’s realm.

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

It depicts the departed (preta) moving along a harsh route where suffering is encountered, and where the mind repeatedly clings to relationships—mother, father, brother, child, and spouse—through grief-filled cries.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steadiness and dharmic living, and practice healthy detachment; support death rites and remembrance with prayer and charity so grief does not turn into binding attachment.