Shloka 39
Yama-mārga (Adhvan) and the Courts of Yama: Vaivasvatī and Chitragupta
क्षणाह्नि प्रार्थयन्त्यन्ये देहिदेहीति कोटिशः / यमलोके मया दृष्टा ममस्वं भक्षितं त्वया
kṣaṇāhni prārthayantyanye dehidehīti koṭiśaḥ / yamaloke mayā dṛṣṭā mamasvaṃ bhakṣitaṃ tvayā
Dans le royaume de Yama, j’ai vu d’innombrables êtres, à chaque instant et tout au long du jour, implorer : « Donne ! Donne ! » Et j’ai vu aussi que ce qui m’appartenait avait été dévoré par toi.
Preta (departed spirit) addressing a living relative (implied within Lord Vishnu’s narration to Garuda in Preta Kanda context)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Misappropriating another’s rightful share (mama-sva) and failing in generosity leads to post-mortem want and reproach.
Vedantic Theme: Aparigraha and non-stealing as purifiers; karma binds through possessiveness and harm to others’ livelihood.
Application: Practice asteya (non-stealing), fair dealing, and timely giving; respect others’ property, wages, and entitlements.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: court/realm of the dead
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: themes of hunger/thirst of pretas and consequences of greed and theft; Garuda Purana: transition from naraka descriptions to dāna/upakāra as remedy (2.33.40)
FAQs
It highlights the preta’s dependence on merit and offerings (dāna, śrāddha, piṇḍa) and the painful lack felt in Yama-loka when supportive acts were not done or were obstructed.
It portrays the departed in Yama-loka as experiencing need and pleading for support, implying that post-death conditions are shaped by karma and by the living’s righteous rites and charitable acts done in the deceased’s name.
Do śrāddha/charity sincerely, avoid misappropriating a deceased person’s rightful wealth, and use resources ethically—supporting dharmic giving to reduce suffering and cultivate merit.