Shloka 15

The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds

Devanagari script

भुक्त्वा चान्नं जलं पीत्वा यद्दत्तं वान्धवैरिह / क्लिश्यमानस्ततः पाशैर्नोयते यमकिङ्करैः

Transliteration

bhuktvā cānnaṃ jalaṃ pītvā yaddattaṃ vāndhavairiha / kliśyamānastataḥ pāśairnoyate yamakiṅkaraiḥ

Translation

ここで親族が捧げた食を口にし、水を飲み終えると、亡者の魂は苦しみに沈み、縄の投げ縄（パーシャ）で縛られる。やがてヤマの使者たちに連れ去られてゆく。

Word by Word

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अन्धवैः: by relatives/kinsmen
• अन्धवैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (here; in this world)

• क्लिश्यमानः: being tormented
• क्लिश्यमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कालिक कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्/मान)

• ततः: thereafter, from there
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (from there/thereafter)

• पाशैः: with nooses
• पाशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नोयते: is led, is driven
• नोयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive); आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• यमकिङ्करैः: by Yama's servants
• यमकिङ्करैः: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-किङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (यमस्य किङ्कराः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During the immediate post-death period (implied ongoing offerings by relatives)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even aided by offerings, the jīva must face karmic adjudication; Yama’s noose symbolizes binding by one’s deeds and unresolved attachments.

Vedantic Theme: Bandha (bondage) by karma and vāsanā; necessity of inner liberation beyond ritual support.

Application: Live with integrity to avoid fear at death; combine rites with spiritual practice (bhakti/jñāna) so the mind is not ‘noosed’ by guilt and craving.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: road/checkpoint

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama-kiṅkara (Yamadūta) leading the soul with pāśa; descriptions of binding and dragging in adjacent chapters

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamakiṅkaras

FAQs

What is the importance of offering food and water to the departed in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links the departed’s post-death passage with the offerings made by relatives; after receiving the offered food and water, the soul proceeds onward under Yama’s order, emphasizing the ritual duty of timely offerings.

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

It portrays a transition point: once the preta partakes of what relatives provide, it is bound by Yama’s pāśas (nooses) and escorted by yamakiṅkaras, indicating movement into Yama’s jurisdiction for further journey or judgment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral duties conscientiously (shraddha-style remembrance, charity, and respectful offerings where culturally appropriate) and live ethically, since the verse frames death as a governed passage shaped by dharma and ritual responsibility.