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Shloka 1

Entry into Yama’s Abode; Nature, Causes, and Signs of the Preta-State

Devanagari script

यममन्दिरप्रवेशतदाज्ञालब्धमनुष्यादि देहांन्तरप्राप्तिनिरूपणं नामैकोनविंशो ऽध्यायः गरुड उवाच / ये केचित्प्रेतरूपेण कुत्र वासं लभन्ति ते / प्रेतलोकाद्विनिर्मुक्ताः कथं कुत्र व्रजन्ति ते

Transliteration

yamamandirapraveśatadājñālabdhamanuṣyādi dehāṃntaraprāptinirūpaṇaṃ nāmaikonaviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ garuḍa uvāca / ye kecitpretarūpeṇa kutra vāsaṃ labhanti te / pretalokādvinirmuktāḥ kathaṃ kutra vrajanti te

Translation

ഈ അധ്യായം യമമന്ദിരപ്രവേശവും അവന്റെ ആജ്ഞയാൽ മനുഷ്യാദി മറ്റൊരു ദേഹം ലഭിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ വിവരണവും ആകുന്നു। ഗരുഡൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പ്രേതരൂപത്തിൽ എവിടെയെങ്കിലും വാസം ലഭിക്കുന്നവർ, പ്രേതലോകത്തിൽ നിന്ന് വിമുക്തരായാൽ എങ്ങനെ, എവിടേക്ക് പോകുന്നു?

Word by Word
यममन्दिरप्रवेशतदाज्ञालब्धमनुष्यादिदेहान्तरप्राप्तिनिरूपणम्the exposition of obtaining other bodies (human etc.) by Yama’s order upon entering Yama’s abode
यममन्दिरप्रवेशतदाज्ञालब्धमनुष्यादिदेहान्तरप्राप्तिनिरूपणम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयम (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक) + तद् (सर्वनाम) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + लब्ध (लभ्-धातु, क्त कृदन्त) + मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (विषयवाचक शीर्षक-समासः: यममन्दिरप्रवेशे तदाज्ञया लब्धा मनुष्यादि-देहान्तर-प्राप्तिः तस्य निरूपणम्)
नामcalled; named
नाम:
Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/labeling particle: 'called')
एकोनविंशःnineteenth
एकोनविंशः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊन (प्रातिपदिक) + विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (19th)
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (nominative singular masculine)
गरुडःGaruda
गरुडः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
येthose who
ये:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (relative pronoun, nominative plural masculine)
केचित्some
केचित्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootक (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun: some)
प्रेतरूपेणin the form of a preta
प्रेतरूपेण:
Karana (Instrument/Mode/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतस्य रूपेण = in the form of a preta)
कुत्रwhere
कुत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb of place)
वासम्dwelling; residence
वासम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative singular)
लभन्तिobtain
लभन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootलभ् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 3rd pl)
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (nominative plural)
प्रेतलोकात्from the world of pretas
प्रेतलोकात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेतलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतानां लोकः)
विनिर्मुक्ताःreleased; freed
विनिर्मुक्ताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + निर् + मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); प्रथमा बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
कथम्how
कथम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb of manner)
कुत्रwhere
कुत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण
व्रजन्तिgo
व्रजन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootव्रज् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 3rd pl)
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
Speaker

Garuḍa (Vinātā-putra), questioning Lord Viṣṇu in the Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Post-death states (preta residence, entry to Yama’s abode) and rebirth into new bodies occur by karmic law administered through Yama’s command.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati governing transmigration; subtle-body continuity until a new embodiment is allotted; moral causality as cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).

Application: Live with awareness of consequences beyond death: reduce harmful actions, perform expiations where appropriate, and support the departed through śrāddha where taught elsewhere in the text.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: abode/court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta state, Yama’s court, and allocation of next birth (broad internal linkage); Garuda Purana: dialogues of Garuda and Vishnu framing afterlife mechanics (structural internal ref)

Characters & Entities
Y
Yama
G
Garuḍa
P
Preta-loka (realm/state of pretas)

FAQs

This verse frames a key doctrinal question: after the preta-phase ends, the jīva’s onward movement and next destination are determined within Yama’s administrative order and karmic accounting.

It identifies an intermediate condition—preta-rūpa (preta state)—and asks what mechanism governs the transition out of it, pointing to Yama’s realm and command as the narrative setting for the next-stage explanation.

It encourages mindful living and dharmic conduct by highlighting accountability after death, and it supports the traditional concern for proper śrāddha/antyeṣṭi observances that address the preta-transition in Purāṇic teaching.

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