Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite
विष्णुर्माता पिता विष्णुर्विष्णुः स्वजनबान्धवाः / येषामेव स्थिरा बुद्धिर्न तेषां दुर्गतिर्भवेत्
viṣṇurmātā pitā viṣṇurviṣṇuḥ svajanabāndhavāḥ / yeṣāmeva sthirā buddhirna teṣāṃ durgatirbhavet
Bagi mereka, Viṣṇu semata-mata ialah ibu dan bapa; Viṣṇu semata-mata ialah kaum kerabat dan sanak saudara. Mereka yang buddhi-nya teguh pada-Nya tidak akan jatuh ke destinasi yang buruk.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Moksha
Concept: Single-pointed reliance on Viṣṇu as mother, father, and kin; steady buddhi in Him prevents downfall into evil destinies.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-śaraṇāgati and ekāgratā; stability of buddhi (sthira-buddhi) as a mark of sattva and spiritual safety.
Application: Cultivate daily remembrance and trust in Viṣṇu; reduce anxious clinging to social validation; practice steadiness through japa, pūjā, and ethical living.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.47.46 (victory of Viṣṇu and virtues); Garuda Purana 2.47.48 (maṅgala-stuti of Viṣṇu)
This verse states that steadfast devotion and unwavering conviction in Viṣṇu prevents durgati (an unhappy post-death destination), portraying Viṣṇu as the ultimate refuge beyond worldly relations.
Within the Preta Kanda’s afterlife framework, it implies that a soul anchored in Viṣṇu through steady buddhi is protected from falling into adverse states after death, indicating a safer spiritual trajectory than one driven by attachment and instability.
Cultivate steady remembrance and commitment to ethical living grounded in devotion—treating the Divine as the highest support—so fear and confusion around death lessen and one’s conduct becomes more dharmic.