Shloka 98

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

विश्रामेच्छां करोत्यत्र कारयन्ति न ते भटाः / क्षितौ दत्तं सुतैस्तस्य स्नेहाद्वा कृपया तथा

Transliteration

viśrāmecchāṃ karotyatra kārayanti na te bhaṭāḥ / kṣitau dattaṃ sutaistasya snehādvā kṛpayā tathā

Translation

Here, even if he longs to rest, those guards do not permit it; only what his sons have given upon the earth—out of affection or out of compassion—becomes available to him there.

Word by Word

• viśrāma-icchām: desire to rest
• viśrāma-icchām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśrāma (प्रातिपदिक) + icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (viśrāmasya icchā)

• karoti: does/makes
• karoti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• kārayanti: make (him) do / compel
• kārayanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhaṭāḥ: soldiers/guards
• bhaṭāḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• kṣitau: on the ground/earth
• kṣitau: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• dattam: given
• dattam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (given)

• sutaiḥ: by (his) sons
• sutaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• snehāt: out of affection
• snehāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sneha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Connector (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• kṛpayā: by compassion
• kṛpayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• tathā: thus/also
• tathā: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Post-mortem welfare depends on offerings made by descendants; compassion and affection translate into real support for the departed.

Vedantic Theme: ṛṇa (debts) and interdependence within saṃsāra; continuity of karma and relational duty beyond death

Application: Perform śrāddha/dāna sincerely; support elders and maintain family rites so dependents (living and departed) are not left without aid.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: road/waystation under guard

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated assertion that what is offered by sons reaches the preta as food/relief; Garuda Purana Śrāddha sections: efficacy of dāna and piṇḍa for preta-support

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas
• Sons (putras)

FAQs

What is the importance of sons' offerings in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse states that what the sons give on earth—motivated by affection or compassion—becomes the departed person’s support in the after-death condition, implying the practical value of śrāddha/pinda-type offerings.

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

It portrays the harsh, compelled movement of the departed under Yama’s attendants, where rest is not granted, emphasizing dependence on merit and supportive rites performed by relatives.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform remembrance and prescribed post-death rites with sincerity, and cultivate compassion and responsibility toward elders—since loving, dutiful actions are presented as tangible support for the departed.