Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

यद्यस्य यादृशं पापं स पन्थास्तस्य तादृशः / सुदीनाः कृपणा मूढा दुः खैर्व्याप्तास्तरन्ति तम्

Transliteration

yadyasya yādṛśaṃ pāpaṃ sa panthāstasya tādṛśaḥ / sudīnāḥ kṛpaṇā mūḍhā duḥ khairvyāptāstaranti tam

Translation

ആർക്കു ഏതു തരത്തിലുള്ള പാപമോ, അവനു അതേ തരത്തിലുള്ള പഥം തന്നെയാകും; ദുഃഖങ്ങളാൽ വ്യാപ്തരായി, അതിദീനരും അസഹായരും മോഹഗ്രസ്തരുമായി അവർ ആ (ഭയങ്കര) പാത കടക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative marker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (correlative)

• यस्य: of whom
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• यादृशम्: of what kind
• यादृशम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण to पापम्

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सः: that
• सः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पन्थाः: path
• पन्थाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• तादृशः: of that same kind
• तादृशः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण to पन्थाः

• सुदीनाः: very miserable
• सुदीनाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदीन (प्रातिपदिक: सु + दीन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृपणाः: wretched
• कृपणाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मूढाः: deluded
• मूढाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक; from मुह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दुःखैः: by sufferings
• दुःखैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• व्याप्ताः: pervaded/overwhelmed
• व्याप्ताः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याप् (धातु) + क्त (Kta)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to (they)

• तरन्ति: cross
• तरन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तम्: that (path)
• तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma is individualized: the quality of one’s sin shapes the quality of one’s post-death experience and route.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as niyati within saṃsāra; avidyā (mūḍhatā) sustains suffering until discernment and detachment arise.

Application: Perform self-audit and restraint; adopt expiations where appropriate; cultivate clarity (viveka) to avoid actions that generate future suffering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: road/pathway

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated motif that each being meets a path/torment corresponding to their deeds; Adjacent verses describing specific torments and the role of yamadūtas in enforcing karma-phala

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Sinners
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (pāpa) in the Garuda Purana’s afterlife teaching?

This verse states that the post-death route and experience are directly shaped by the specific nature of one’s sins—karma is not abstract; it determines the very “path” one must undergo.

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

It explains that the departed (often described in Preta Kanda contexts) traverses a route corresponding to their misconduct, and that this journey is marked by misery, helplessness, and confusion born from suffering.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat actions as future consequences in motion: reduce harm, cultivate dharma, and correct unethical habits early—because the text frames the after-death journey as a direct continuation of one’s moral choices.