Shloka 94

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

स्वेन कर्मवि पाकेन देहान्तरगतो ऽपि सन् / पुराणि षोडशामुष्मन्मार्गे तानि च मे शृणु

Transliteration

svena karmavi pākena dehāntaragato 'pi san / purāṇi ṣoḍaśāmuṣmanmārge tāni ca me śṛṇu

Translation

Even after the soul has passed into another body due to the ripening of its own karma, there are sixteen cities on this path of the hereafter—listen to them from me.

Word by Word

• स्वेन: by one’s own
• स्वेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of कर्मविपाकेन)

• कर्मविपाकेन: by the fruition of deeds
• कर्मविपाकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ripening/result of karma)

• देहान्तरगतः: gone to another body; transmigrated
• देहान्तरगतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; गम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘गत’; समासः (देहान्तरं गतः)

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: even/also)

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘सन्’ = being; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुराणि: cities; towns
• पुराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अणि (प्रत्यय) → पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; पुराणि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (sixteen)

• अमुष्मन्: on that (aforementioned)
• अमुष्मन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; मार्गे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मार्गे: path
• मार्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Gen./Dat. sg. enclitic); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• शृणु: hear; listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The jīva enters another body according to karma-vipāka; alongside this, there is a structured set of sixteen observances/offerings relevant to the post-mortem journey.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra driven by karma; the subtle self continues while bodies change; ritual order (karma-kāṇḍa) operates within saṃsāra.

Application: Understand rebirth as ethical causality; perform prescribed post-death rites for relatives and cultivate dharmic life to shape future outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: path/route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śrāddha and preta-śānti sections that enumerate offerings/rites across days; the immediately following verse lists sixteen puras (2.5.95).

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the sixteen rites (ṣoḍaśa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces that the post-death path includes sixteen traditionally prescribed observances meant to support the departed’s transition, indicating that ritual duty accompanies the doctrine of karma.

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

It states that the jīva moves on due to karmavipāka (ripened karma) and that along the ‘otherworldly path’ there are specific prescribed steps/rites to be understood as part of the journey’s framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness that actions mature into consequences across lifetimes, and when a death occurs in the family, follow prescribed śrāddha-related duties with sincerity as an expression of dharma and remembrance.