Shloka 125

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

यदा तदा यमदूतैश्च सम्यक् संताड्यमानस्तत्र शब्दं प्रकुर्वन् / संतिष्ठमाने भक्तवर्यं विहाय तदा देवः कुत्र पलायितोभूत्

Transliteration

yadā tadā yamadūtaiśca samyak saṃtāḍyamānastatra śabdaṃ prakurvan / saṃtiṣṭhamāne bhaktavaryaṃ vihāya tadā devaḥ kutra palāyitobhūt

Translation

ಆಗ ಯಮದೂತರಿಂದ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಹೊಡೆಯಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾ ಅವನು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಜೋರಾಗಿ ಕೂಗಿದನು. ದೃಢವಾಗಿ ನಿಂತ ಆ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಭಕ್ತನನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು, ಆ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನ ‘ದೇವ’ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಓಡಿಹೋದನು?

Word by Word

• yadā: when
• yadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb/conjunction (कालवाचक-अव्यय) ‘when’

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Correlative temporal adverb (तदा-शब्दः) ‘then’

• yamadūtaiḥ: by Yama’s messengers
• yamadūtaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama-dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य दूताः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• samyak: thoroughly
• samyak: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय) ‘properly, thoroughly’

• saṃtāḍyamānaḥ: being beaten
• saṃtāḍyamānaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-tāḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (वर्तमान-कर्मणि कृदन्त/शानच्), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘being beaten’

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Locative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय) ‘there’

• śabdam: a cry/sound
• śabdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prakurvan: uttering
• prakurvan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘making/uttering’

• saṃtiṣṭhamāne: while (he) remains
• saṃtiṣṭhamāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-sthā (धातु)
• Form: Present middle participle (वर्तमान-आत्मनेपदी कृदन्त/शानच्), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; absolute-locative sense (सप्तमी-absolute): ‘while (he) is standing/remaining’

• bhaktavaryam: the best devotee
• bhaktavaryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta-varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘excellent devotee’

• vihāya: having abandoned
• vihāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-hā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having abandoned/left’

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय) ‘then’

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kutra: where?
• kutra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutra (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय) ‘where?’

• palāyitaḥ: fled
• palāyitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: palāy (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘fled/escaped’

• abhūt: became/was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Aorist/Perfective past (लुङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: False objects of worship cannot protect at κρίσις; abandoning true devotees/true dharma leads to ruin.

Vedantic Theme: Śaraṇāgati (true refuge) vs. mithyā-āśraya (false refuge); only the real (sat) protects.

Application: Choose worthy spiritual refuge; honor sādhus and genuine devotees; test beliefs by ethics and compassion, not fear or violence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: liminal punitive space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: contrast between Viṣṇu-bhakti as protector and other refuges failing at death; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: cries during punishment; futility of false supports

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama’s messengers (Yamadutas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Yamadutas as enforcers of karmic justice who seize and punish the soul when its deeds demand it, making the after-death accountability vivid and unavoidable.

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

It depicts the soul in Yama’s jurisdiction undergoing torment and crying out, implying that mere outward or misplaced reliance offers no refuge when karmic consequences ripen.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and sincere devotion rather than superficial religious identity; live ethically so that fear and helplessness do not dominate at life’s end.