Shloka 77

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

शीतोष्णशङ्कुक्रव्यादवह्निमार्गस्तु पापिनाम् / क्षुधा तृष्णात्मिका चैव सव्व सौम्यं कृतात्मनाम्

Transliteration

śītoṣṇaśaṅkukravyādavahnimārgastu pāpinām / kṣudhā tṛṣṇātmikā caiva savva saumyaṃ kṛtātmanām

Translation

Pour les pécheurs, la route est un chemin terrible : froid et chaleur extrêmes, pieux acérés, bêtes dévoreuses de chair et feu. Mais pour les maîtres d’eux-mêmes et les justes, tout devient doux et propice ; la faim et la soif ne les tourmentent plus.

Word by Word

• शीतोष्णशङ्कुक्रव्यादवह्निमार्गः: the path (consisting of) cold, heat, spikes, flesh-eaters, and fire
• शीतोष्णशङ्कुक्रव्यादवह्निमार्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शीत + उष्ण + शङ्कु + क्रव्याद + वह्नि (समास-पदानि)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (निर्देशक/विशेषणपूर्वकः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; (nominative singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपातः (particle: but/indeed)

• पापिनाम्: of sinners
• पापिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम्; (genitive plural)

• क्षुधा: hunger
• क्षुधा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुध्/क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; (nominative singular)

• तृष्णात्मिका: of the nature of thirst
• तृष्णात्मिका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृष्णात्मिका (प्रातिपदिक: तृष्णा + आत्मिका)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; (agreeing with क्षुधा)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Visheshya (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (predicate nominative)

• सौम्यम्: pleasant/gentle
• सौम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (with सर्वम्)

• कृतात्मनाम्: of the self-controlled/virtuous
• कृतात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: कृत + आत्मन्)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम्; (genitive plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic moral causality: papa intensifies suffering; self-restraint and righteousness transmute the journey into gentleness.

Vedantic Theme: Bhoga as karma-phala; inner saṁskāra shapes perceived reality even in post-mortem states.

Application: Cultivate dama (self-control), ethical conduct, and non-harm; avoid papa that ripens as fearsome post-mortem experience.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: moralized road/path with bifurcated experience

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: differentiated paths/experiences for pāpī vs kṛtātmā; Garuda Purana: catalogues of narakas and the role of yamadūtas as agents of karma

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Sinners (pāpinaḥ)
• The virtuous/self-controlled (kṛtātmanāḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing the path of sinners in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a moral warning: harmful actions (pāpa) mature into painful post-death experiences, portrayed as a harsh route marked by heat, cold, violence, and fear.

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

It contrasts two experiential trajectories during the soul’s journey: sinners undergo tormenting conditions, while disciplined and righteous persons experience the same journey as calm and auspicious, with basic sufferings like hunger and thirst not dominating them.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate self-control and dharmic conduct—reduce harm, practice restraint, and live ethically—so one’s karmic momentum supports peace rather than fear and suffering at life’s end.