Shloka 20

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

यस्त्वहङ्कारवान्पापी स्वविकत्थनकारकः / कृतघ्नो गर्भसन्तापी वैतरण्यां स मज्जति

Transliteration

yastvahaṅkāravānpāpī svavikatthanakārakaḥ / kṛtaghno garbhasantāpī vaitaraṇyāṃ sa majjati

Translation

അഹങ്കാരത്തിൽ നിറഞ്ഞ പാപി, സ്വയം പുകഴ്ത്തി പൊങ്ങച്ചം പറയുന്നവൻ, കൃതഘ്നൻ, ഗർഭത്തിന് വേദന വരുത്തുന്നവൻ (അജന്മ/മാതൃത്വത്തെ ഹാനിപ്പെടുത്തുന്നവൻ)—അവൻ വൈതരണിയിൽ മുങ്ങുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• अहङ्कारवान्: proud, possessing ego
• अहङ्कारवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• पापी: a sinner
• पापी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); इन्-प्रत्ययान्त

• स्वविकत्थनकारकः: one who indulges in self-boasting
• स्वविकत्थनकारकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विकत्थन (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘स्वस्य विकत्थनं करोति’ (one who causes/does self-boasting)

• कृतघ्नः: ungrateful
• कृतघ्नः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘कृतं (उपकारं) घ्नाति’ (ungrateful)

• गर्भसन्तापी: womb-tormentor
• गर्भसन्तापी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘गर्भे सन्तापः यस्य/गर्भं सन्तापयति’ (one who causes torment in the womb / fetus-tormentor)

• वैतरण्याम्: in the Vaitaraṇī
• वैतरण्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• मज्जति: sinks, is immersed
• मज्जति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ahaṅkāra, self-praise, kṛtaghnatā (ingratitude), and harming pregnancy/unborn life create heavy pāpa that causes sinking in Vaitaraṇī.

Vedantic Theme: Ahaṅkāra is a primary knot (granthi) binding the jīva; gratitude and non-harm support sattva and inner clarity.

Application: Cultivate humility and gratitude; avoid self-aggrandizement; protect motherhood and unborn life; support maternal care and non-violence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: river

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Vaitaraṇī and causes (preceding 2.47.19)

Characters & Entities

• Vaitarani

FAQs

What is the importance of the Vaitaraṇī in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda, Vaitaraṇī is portrayed as a terrifying boundary-like river in Yama’s domain where certain grievous sinners are made to sink, symbolizing the inescapable weight of their karma.

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

It links specific moral failures—egoistic pride, boastful self-praise, ingratitude, and harming the unborn/motherhood—to post-death suffering, indicating that the preta’s journey includes karmic stations of retribution such as Vaitaraṇī.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate humility, avoid self-aggrandizement, practice gratitude, and protect life and motherhood; the verse frames these as non-negotiable dharmic duties with serious karmic outcomes.