Shloka 120
Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga
Path to Yama
विचित्रनगरे तत्र विचित्रो नाम पारिथिवः / तत्र षण्मासपिण्डेन तृप्तः सन् व्रजते पुरः
vicitranagare tatra vicitro nāma pārithivaḥ / tatra ṣaṇmāsapiṇḍena tṛptaḥ san vrajate puraḥ
Là, dans la cité nommée Vicitranagara, réside un roi appelé Vicitra. Rassasié par le piṇḍa offert au rite des six mois, le défunt poursuit sa route vers l’avant.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: ṣaṇmāsika (six-month rite)
Concept: Śrāddha offerings at prescribed times produce specific benefits at corresponding afterlife stations; cosmic administration mirrors moral order.
Vedantic Theme: Ritual action (karma-kāṇḍa) yields definite phala within saṃsāra; dharma sustains both worlds though it is not final liberation.
Application: Observe ṣaṇmāsika śrāddha with proper piṇḍa-dāna; treat rites as time-sensitive support rather than optional custom.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city (nagara) on the preta-path
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: named cities/stations and their rulers; ṣaṇmāsika śrāddha fruit statements; onward progression after satiation
FAQs
This verse states that the departed is 'satisfied' (tṛptaḥ) by the ṣaṇmāsa-piṇḍa, indicating that the six-month śrāddha offering is understood as a sustaining rite that enables the preta to continue its onward journey.
It presents the journey as stage-based: the preta moves through specific locales (like Vicitranagara) and progresses further when supported by prescribed offerings, here explicitly the six-month piṇḍa.
Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with care and regularity—especially key milestones such as the six-month rite—while also living responsibly, since the text frames post-death well-being as connected to dharmic observance and family duties.