Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 4

Yama-mārga (Adhvan) and the Courts of Yama: Vaivasvatī and Chitragupta

Devanagari script

ध्मातताम्रमिवातप्तो ज्वलद्दुर्गो महापथः / तत्र गच्छन्ति पापिष्ठा मानवा मूढचेतसः

Transliteration

dhmātatāmramivātapto jvaladdurgo mahāpathaḥ / tatra gacchanti pāpiṣṭhā mānavā mūḍhacetasaḥ

Translation

មហាមាគ៌ានោះក្តៅដូចស្ពាន់រលាយ ជាផ្លូវភ្លើងឆេះគ្រោះថ្នាក់; តាមផ្លូវនោះទៅ គឺមនុស្សបាបខ្លាំងបំផុត ចិត្តវង្វេង។

Word by Word

• dhmāta-tāmram: (like) blown/forged copper
• dhmāta-tāmram: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhmāta (कृदन्त; √dham धातु) + tāmra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-पद (object of comparison)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• ātaptaḥ: heated, scorched
• ātaptaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-tap (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• jvalat-durgaḥ: blazing and difficult (to traverse)
• jvalat-durgaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvalat (कृदन्त; √jval धातु) + durga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; “ज्वलन्” इति वर्तमानकृदन्त-विशेषणपूर्वपद

• mahā-pathaḥ: the great road
• mahā-pathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• gacchanti: go
• gacchanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• pāpiṣṭhāḥ: most sinful
• pāpiṣṭhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तमप्-प्रत्ययान्त (superlative)

• mānavāḥ: humans
• mānavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• mūḍha-cetasaḥ: of deluded mind
• mūḍha-cetasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūḍha (कृदन्त; √muh धातु) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — “येषां चेतः मूढम्”

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Papa leads to a harsh post-mortem passage; moha (delusion) drives beings into sin and thus into suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā/moha as the root of bondage; karma-phala as inexorable consequence within saṃsāra.

Application: Reduce harmful actions, intoxication of mind, and heedlessness; practice self-restraint, truthfulness, compassion, and Hari-smaraṇa to avoid papa and its fruits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: infernal transit-road

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring motif of the heated road and the sinful being driven by Yamadūtas; nearby verses describing thirst, hunger, and torments on the path

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of the Mahāpatha (great road) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse portrays Mahāpatha as a scorching, dangerous route associated with the post-death journey toward Yama’s domain, emphasizing that severe wrongdoing (pāpa) leads to a terrifying experiential consequence.

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

It indicates that those burdened with heavy sin and deluded understanding are driven onto a painful route—symbolically and karmically reflecting the harsh results of their actions as they move toward Yama’s judgment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate clear discernment (avoid mūḍha-cetas) and reduce harmful actions—truthfulness, restraint, compassion, and dharmic living are presented as the way to avoid painful karmic trajectories described in the Preta Kanda.