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Shloka 12

Arrival at Yama’s cities: Citragupta’s scrutiny, Dharmadhvaja’s gate, and the necessity of dāna

Devanagari script

पचन्ति पापिनं प्राप्य उदके यातनाकराः / गृह्णन्ति मासमासान्ते पादशेषं तु तद्भवेत्

Transliteration

pacanti pāpinaṃ prāpya udake yātanākarāḥ / gṛhṇanti māsamāsānte pādaśeṣaṃ tu tadbhavet

Translation

Para penyiksa menangkap si pendosa lalu merebusnya dalam air; pada hujung setiap bulan mereka mengambil sebahagian daripadanya, hingga tinggal hanya seperempat sahaja.

Word by Word
पचन्तिthey cook/boil
पचन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपच् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
पापिनम्the sinner
पापिनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
प्राप्यhaving obtained/reached
प्राप्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया
उदकेin water
उदके:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउदक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
यातनाकराःtorturers (agents of torment)
यातनाकराः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयातना (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यातनायाः कराः/कर्तारः)
गृह्णन्तिthey seize/take
गृह्णन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
मासमासान्तेat the end of each month
मासमासान्ते:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमास (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार/अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयोगः; अर्थतः 'मासस्य मासस्य अन्ते' (at the end of each month)
पादशेषम्the remainder of a quarter
पादशेषम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद (प्रातिपदिक) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पादस्य शेषः)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधानार्थक निपात
तत्that
तत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
भवेत्would be / may become
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe pāpa yields proportionate yātanā; time itself becomes an instrument of retribution (monthly cycles of depletion).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as experiential consequence in subtle realms; saṃsāra’s suffering as impetus for dharma and purification.

Application: Avoid grievous harms and exploitations; undertake prāyaścitta, charity, and restraint; cultivate compassion to prevent actions that ripen into such suffering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: torture chamber/cauldron setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: multiple yātanā descriptions (boiling, cutting, burning) across naraka narratives; Adjacent verses: guards (2.19.11) and aurdhvadaihika dāna/relief measures (2.19.13)

Characters & Entities
Y
Yama
Y
Yamadutas

FAQs

This verse uses vivid consequences to deter pāpa (sinful action) and reinforce karma: actions create inevitable results experienced after death under Yama’s order.

It situates the post-death journey within Yama’s jurisdiction, where Yamadūtas administer yātanā (torments) to the sinful jīva, indicating a moral-judicial afterlife sequence.

Treat it as an ethical warning: reduce harm, deceit, and exploitation, and adopt dharmic conduct and repentance to avoid creating heavy pāpa-karma.

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