Shloka 82
Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga
Path to Yama
त्वग्गृहीताहिवत्तार्क्ष्य गृहीतो यमकिङ्करैः / तस्मिन्मार्गे व्रजत्येको गृहीत इव मर्कटः
tvaggṛhītāhivattārkṣya gṛhīto yamakiṅkaraiḥ / tasminmārge vrajatyeko gṛhīta iva markaṭaḥ
Wahai Tārkṣya (Garuda), apabila dia ditangkap oleh para utusan Yama, dia menempuh jalan itu seorang diri—diseret seperti ular yang dipegang pada kulitnya, seperti monyet yang digenggam erat.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: The jīva is compelled by karmic force and Yama’s agents; death strips autonomy and companionship.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandhana and the jīva’s dependence under adṛṣṭa; contrast between embodied pride and post-mortem powerlessness.
Application: Cultivate dharma and remembrance of Hari; reduce cruelty and adharmic acts that lead to fearful post-death experiences.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: path/route
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of Yamadūtas and the solitary journey of the preta (adjacent verses in 2.5); Garuda Purana: Yama-mārga hardships and karmic compulsion motifs across Pretakalpa chapters
FAQs
This verse portrays them as the enforcers of karmic law who physically restrain and drive the departed along the post-death route, emphasizing that the soul cannot bargain with consequences.
It stresses that the departed travels alone on Yama’s path and is forcibly controlled—using vivid similes (snake held by skin, monkey seized) to convey loss of autonomy after death.
Live with restraint and dharma so the after-death passage is not one of terror and compulsion; support ethical conduct and, where practiced, perform proper śrāddha/antyeṣṭi rites for the departed.