Shloka 6

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

पतनोद्वन्धनजलैर्मृतानां शृणु संस्थितिम् / यान्ति ते नरकेघोरे ये च म्लेच्छादिभिर्हताः

Transliteration

patanodvandhanajalairmṛtānāṃ śṛṇu saṃsthitim / yānti te narakeghore ye ca mlecchādibhirhatāḥ

Translation

ഹേ ഗരുഡാ, വീണുമരിച്ചവർ, തൂക്കിലോ/കണ്ഠനിഗ്രഹത്തിലോ മരിച്ചവർ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ വെള്ളത്തിൽ മുങ്ങിമരിച്ചവർ—അവരുടെ അവസ്ഥ കേൾക്കുക; മ്ലേച്ഛാദികളാൽ കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടവർ ഭയങ്കര നരകത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पतनोद्वन्धनजलैः: by falling, hanging, and water (drowning)
• पतनोद्वन्धनजलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन + उद्वन्धन + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (पतनम्, उद्वन्धनम्, जलम्)

• मृतानाम्: of the dead
• मृतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• संस्थितिम्: condition/state (after death)
• संस्थितिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ते: those (people)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन; अन्वादेश (they/those)

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरके)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• म्लेच्छादिभिः: by mlecchas and others
• म्लेच्छादिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन; तद्धितान्त-समासार्थ (म्लेच्छाः आदयः येषां तैः)

• हताः: killed
• हताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत/हत (कृदन्त; √हन् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain deaths (falling, strangling, drowning; being killed by mlecchas, etc.) are linked with ghora-naraka, emphasizing karmic and contextual determinants of post-mortem suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Cosmic justice: experiences after death correspond to causes and conditions; dharma operates beyond the visible world.

Application: Cultivate protective dharma and social order; avoid violent environments; support lawful conduct and community safety; perform remedial rites for violent/accidental deaths.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: underworld/penal realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana naraka-kathana sections detailing specific hells and punishments (later Pretakalpa chapters).

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Naraka
• Mleccha

FAQs

What is the importance of describing unnatural deaths in the Garuda Purana?

This verse classifies certain modes of death (falling, strangling, drowning, being slain) as leading to a fearful post-death route, reinforcing the text’s broader teaching on karmic consequences and the soul’s difficult passage after violent or untimely death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after a violent or sudden death?

It states that those who die through such traumatic causes are said to “go to dreadful Naraka,” indicating an obstructed or painful afterlife trajectory rather than an immediately auspicious transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages ethical living and harm-avoidance, and for families it supports performing proper post-death rites and prayers with seriousness when death is sudden or violent.