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Shloka 39

The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds

Devanagari script

विहाय तत्पुरं प्रेतो याति तप्तपुरं प्रति / सुतप्तनगरं प्राप्य नवमे मासि सो ऽश्नुते / द्विजभोज्यं पिण्डदानं कृतं श्राद्धं सुतेन यत्

Transliteration

vihāya tatpuraṃ preto yāti taptapuraṃ prati / sutaptanagaraṃ prāpya navame māsi so 'śnute / dvijabhojyaṃ piṇḍadānaṃ kṛtaṃ śrāddhaṃ sutena yat

Translation

Meninggalkan kota itu, preta (roh yang telah mati) bergerak menuju Taptapura. Setelah sampai ke kota yang amat panas, Sutaptanagara, pada bulan kesembilan dia menikmati śrāddha—yang terdiri daripada persembahan piṇḍa dan jamuan untuk para brāhmaṇa—yang dilakukan oleh anak lelakinya.

Word by Word
विहायhaving left
विहाय:
क्रियाविशेषण (Gerundial modifier/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवि+हा (धातु) → विहाय (क्त्वान्त)
Formक्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया
तत्-पुरम्that city
तत्-पुरम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
प्रेतःthe departed spirit
प्रेतः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
यातिgoes
याति:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तप्त-पुरम्the heated/burning city
तप्त-पुरम्:
कर्म (Goal as object with प्रति)
TypeNoun
Rootतप्त (कृदन्त, क्त; तप् धातु) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
प्रतिtowards
प्रति:
सम्बन्ध (Directional relation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपसर्गसदृशं दिशाबोधकं (preposition/adverb meaning 'towards')
सु-तप्त-नगरम्the very-heated city
सु-तप्त-नगरम्:
कर्म (Object/goal)
TypeNoun
Rootसु (अव्यय) + तप्त (कृदन्त, क्त; तप् धातु) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
प्राप्यhaving reached
प्राप्य:
क्रियाविशेषण (Gerundial modifier/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र+आप्/प्राप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त)
Formल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया
नवमेin the ninth
नवमे:
अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनवम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंस, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम्
मासिmonth
मासि:
अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
सःhe
सः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अश्नुतेeats/partakes
अश्नुते:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअश् (धातु)
Formलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
द्विज-भोज्यम्fit to be eaten by Brahmins
द्विज-भोज्यम्:
कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + भोज्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजैः भोज्यम्/द्विजानां भोज्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पिण्डदानं/श्राद्धं) इति विशेषणम्
पिण्ड-दानम्offering of rice-balls
पिण्ड-दानम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन
कृतम्performed
कृतम्:
कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
Formक्त-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेषणम्
श्राद्धम्śrāddha
श्राद्धम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन
सुतेनby the son
सुतेन:
करण/कर्ता (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
TypeNoun
Rootसुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन
यत्which
यत्:
सम्बन्ध (Relative pronoun link/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ninth month after death (navama-māsika)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Putra-dharma: the son’s śrāddha—piṇḍa-dāna and brāhmaṇa-bhojana—directly nourishes the preta amid harsh transit conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and ṛṇa (debts): pitṛ-ṛṇa is discharged through śrāddha; subtle causality links anna-dāna to post-mortem well-being.

Application: In the ninth month, perform śrāddha with piṇḍa-dāna and respectful feeding of qualified brāhmaṇas (or dhārmic equivalents per capacity), dedicating merit to the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: piṇḍa-dāna as forming/supporting the preta-body and easing travel (general internal parallel); Garuda Purana: emphasis on putra’s role in śrāddha and pitṛ-tarpaṇa

Characters & Entities
P
Preta
D
Dwija (Brahmanas)
S
Son (suta)

FAQs

This verse states that in the ninth month, after reaching Sutaptanagara, the preta specifically partakes of the śrāddha performed by the son—especially the piṇḍa-offering and feeding of brāhmaṇas—indicating direct benefit to the departed during that stage of the journey.

It describes a sequential movement of the preta from one region/city to another; here, the preta leaves a prior city and goes toward Taptapura, reaching Sutaptanagara, showing the after-death journey as a staged passage with experiences linked to time (months).

Perform śrāddha with sincerity—piṇḍa-dāna and respectful feeding of qualified brāhmaṇas or appropriate charitable equivalents as guided by tradition—remembering that the rite is meant as tangible support and remembrance for the departed and as a discipline of dharma for the family.

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