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Shloka 81

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

क्रमेण याति स प्रेतः पुरं याम्यं शुभाशुभम् / अतीत्य तानितान्येव मार्गे पुरवराणि च

Transliteration

krameṇa yāti sa pretaḥ puraṃ yāmyaṃ śubhāśubham / atītya tānitānyeva mārge puravarāṇi ca

Translation

ຢ່າງຄ່ອຍໆ ພຣະເຕະນັ້ນເດີນໄປຫານະຄອນຂອງພຣະຍົມ ອັນເປັນດິນແດນທີ່ຮັບຜົນທັງບຸນແລະບາບ; ລະຫວ່າງທາງກໍຜ່ານເມືອງດີໆຫຼາຍແຫ່ງຕາມເສັ້ນທາງນັ້ນ.

Word by Word
क्रमेणgradually, in sequence
क्रमेण:
Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — instrumental-form used adverbially; ‘in order/gradually’
यातिgoes
याति:
Kriya (Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
सhe, that (person)
स:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
प्रेतःthe departed spirit (preta)
प्रेतः:
Karta (Apposition to subject)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
पुरम्city
पुरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
याम्यम्of Yama, Yama’s
याम्यम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootयाम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुरम्)
शुभाशुभम्(involving) good and bad
शुभाशुभम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (शुभं च अशुभं च) as a collective qualifier (पुरम्/याम्यम्)
अतीत्यhaving passed beyond
अतीत्य:
Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootअति + इ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — ‘having passed beyond’
तानिthose (places)
तानि:
Karma (Object of gerund)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
तानिthose, those (again)
तानि:
Karma (Object of gerund)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)
एवindeed, just
एव:
Emphasis particle
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (निपात) — अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक
मार्गेon the path
मार्गे:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन
पुरवराणिexcellent cities
पुरवराणि:
Karma (Object, implied with atītya)
TypeNoun
Rootपुर + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुराणां वराणि = best of cities)
चand
च:
Conjunction
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmaphala is encountered in an orderly sequence; the soul’s post-death movement is governed by accumulated शुभ-अशुभ.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati and saṃsāra’s continuity beyond death; the subtle body’s onward journey under cosmic law.

Application: Cultivate dharma and remembrance of Hari while alive; perform timely śrāddha and ethical living to reduce भय and papa-driven outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: route-stations leading to a city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of the preta’s path and Yama’s adjudication (adjacent adhyāyas on the yamamārga and narakas); Garuda Purana: sections on śrāddha aiding the preta during the journey

Characters & Entities
Y
Yama
P
Preta

FAQs

This verse emphasizes that the after-death passage is gradual and structured, reflecting the orderly unfolding of karma (śubha–aśubha) as the preta moves toward Yama’s domain.

It presents the route as a series of stages—“cities” or stations—through which the preta passes, ultimately reaching Yama’s city where karmic outcomes are faced.

Live with awareness that actions have consequences (merit and sin), and support traditional śrāddha/pinda-related duties with sincerity, as the tradition frames them as aids during the preta’s transitional journey.

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