Shloka 38

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

ततः संवत्सरस्यान्ते प्रत्यासन्ने यमालये / बहुभीतकरे प्रेतो हस्तमात्रं समुत्सृजेत्

Transliteration

tataḥ saṃvatsarasyānte pratyāsanne yamālaye / bahubhītakare preto hastamātraṃ samutsṛjet

Translation

പിന്നീട് വർഷാന്ത്യത്തിൽ, യമാലയം അടുത്തുവരുമ്പോൾ, അനേകം ഭീതികളാൽ വിറയ്ക്കുന്ന പ്രേതൻ കൈമാത്രം മാത്രം മുന്നോട്ട് നീങ്ങാൻ കഴിയും.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (thereupon/then)

• संवत्सरस्य: of the year
• संवत्सरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• संवत्सरस्य-अन्ते: at the end of the year
• संवत्सरस्य-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (संवत्सरस्य अन्ते), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रत्यासन्ने: near, close by
• प्रत्यासन्ने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + आसन्न (आस् धातु + क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle) 'आसन्न' = near; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (यमालये)

• यमालये: in/near Yama's abode
• यमालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यमस्य आलयः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहु-भीत-करे: in the greatly fear-causing (place)
• बहु-भीत-करे: Adhikarana (Location qualifier/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + भीत (भि धातु + क्त; कृदन्त) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (यमालये)

• प्रेतः: the departed spirit, preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हस्त-मात्रम्: only a hand's measure
• हस्त-मात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (मात्रा-परिमाण), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• समुत्सृजेत्: should emit/produce, should project
• समुत्सृजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: As the soul nears Yama’s domain, fear and limitation manifest according to one’s karmic burden; the journey is not freely chosen.

Vedantic Theme: Jīva’s dependence under karma-bandha; saṃsāric compulsion (avaśatā) prior to liberating knowledge.

Application: Live with dharma and cultivate sattva to reduce fear at death; prepare through confession, restitution, and devotional remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: loka/ālaya

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: fearsome approach to Yamālaya and the constrained movement of preta; Garuda Purana: descriptions of Yamadūtas and terrors on the path

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamalaya
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of approaching Yama’s abode in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that nearing Yama’s realm is depicted as intensely fear-inducing for the preta, emphasizing the gravity of post-death accountability and the need for dharmic living and proper rites for the departed.

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

It portrays the preta’s journey as slow and difficult—so constrained by fear and suffering that progress is described as only “a hand’s length,” indicating an arduous transition toward Yamaloka over the course of a year.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically to reduce harmful karmic burdens and, in traditional practice, support the departed through śrāddha and related rites as acts of duty and remembrance.