Shloka 134

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

सरन्नेवं विलपते हलाहतिहतः पथि / क्व सूनुपेशलकरैः पादसंवाहनं मम

Transliteration

sarannevaṃ vilapate halāhatihataḥ pathi / kva sūnupeśalakaraiḥ pādasaṃvāhanaṃ mama

Translation

Thus, as he staggers along the road, stricken by the deadly poison of suffering, he laments: “Where now is the gentle pressing and massage of my feet by the tender hands of my sons?”

Word by Word

• सरन्: moving; crawling; going
• सरन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• विलपते: laments
• विलपते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हलाहतिहतः: struck/afflicted by plough-blows
• हलाहतिहतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक) + आहत (आ + हन् धातु + क्त, कृदन्त) + हत (हन् धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः—‘हल-आहत्या हतः’ (struck by plough-blows)

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

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• सूनुपेशलकरैः: with the tender hands of (one’s) sons
• सूनुपेशलकरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूनु (प्रातिपदिक) + पेशल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयभावः (‘sons’ tender hands’)

• पादसंवाहनम्: foot-massage
• पादसंवाहनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + संवाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (massage of the feet)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Impermanence of worldly comforts and dependence; the departed laments the absence of filial service, implying the value of care, rites, and right living before death.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā (transience) and duḥkha inherent in saṃsāra; attachment to bodily pleasure and family service becomes a source of suffering when conditions change.

Application: Care for parents/elders while alive; cultivate detachment and spiritual preparation; ensure rites are arranged so the departed is not ‘unsupported’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: road/path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: hardships on the preta-path; lamentations recalling earthly life; Garuda Purana: imagery of suffering as विष/हलाहल-like

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Sons (sūnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of remembering family comforts in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the loss of simple comforts—like a son’s foot-massage—to highlight impermanence and the preta’s helplessness after death, urging detachment and timely performance of dharmic duties.

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

It portrays the departed as moving along a harsh post-death path, afflicted and lamenting, emphasizing that familiar worldly support cannot accompany the soul into the preta state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate detachment from bodily pleasures, practice dharma while alive, and uphold filial responsibility—care for parents and perform appropriate rites—without assuming worldly comforts are permanent.