Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

वृक्षच्छाया न तत्रास्ति यत्र विश्रमते नरः / गृहीतः कालपाशैश्च कृतैः कर्मभिरुल्बणैः

Transliteration

vṛkṣacchāyā na tatrāsti yatra viśramate naraḥ / gṛhītaḥ kālapāśaiśca kṛtaiḥ karmabhirulbaṇaiḥ

Translation

Di sana tiada naungan pokok tempat manusia berehat; kerana dia ditangkap oleh jerat Kala (Waktu) dan terikat kuat oleh perbuatan karmanya yang berat.

Word by Word

• vṛkṣa-chāyā: shade of a tree
• vṛkṣa-chāyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + chāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — “वृक्षस्य छाया”

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative locative adverb: where)

• viśramate: rests
• viśramate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• gṛhītaḥ: is seized
• gṛhītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• kāla-pāśaiḥ: by the nooses of Time/Death
• kāla-pāśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — “कालस्य पाशाः”

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• kṛtaiḥ: done, performed
• kṛtaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (karmabhiḥ)

• karmabhiḥ: by deeds
• karmabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ulbaṇaiḥ: terrible, grievous
• ulbaṇaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ulbaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (karmabhiḥ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One is bound by one’s own actions; kāla-pāśa signifies inevitability and the binding force of karma over the embodied and disembodied.

Vedantic Theme: Bandha (bondage) through karma; kāla as manifestation of Īśvara’s order; need for śaraṇāgati (refuge) beyond karma.

Application: Live so that conscience and conduct do not become ‘nooses’; practice repentance, restitution, and devotion to seek a higher refuge than mere worldly supports.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: barren transit-zone

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: kāla-pāśa and Yamadūta binding imagery; sections describing how deeds become fetters and how merit provides relief

Characters & Entities

• Kala (Time/Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kala-pasha (the noose of Time) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses “kālapāśa” to show that after death the being cannot freely rest or choose comfort; Time/Death constrains the jīva according to the force of its own accumulated karma.

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

It depicts the post-death journey as harsh and unrestful: the preta’s experience is shaped by binding karmic results, symbolized as the nooses of Time that prevent ease and shelter.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and ethical discipline—reducing “ulbaṇa” (harmful) actions—so that one’s future course is lighter, and one is not dragged by the consequences of severe karma.