Shloka 17

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas (Great Sins), Vows, Tīrtha, and Sin-Destroying Observances

Devanagari script

यमाय धर्मराजाय मृत्यवे चान्तकाय च / वैवस्वताय कालाय सर्वभूतक्षयाय च

Transliteration

yamāya dharmarājāya mṛtyave cāntakāya ca / vaivasvatāya kālāya sarvabhūtakṣayāya ca

Translation

ଧର୍ମରାଜ ଯମଙ୍କୁ, ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଓ ଅନ୍ତକଙ୍କୁ, ବୈବସ୍ୱତଙ୍କୁ, କାଳଙ୍କୁ ଏବଂ ସର୍ବଭୂତକ୍ଷୟକର୍ତ୍ତାଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର।

Word by Word

• यमाय: to Yama
• यमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• धर्मराजाय: to Dharmarāja
• धर्मराजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + राज (प्रातिपदिक); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य राजा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• मृत्यवे: to Death
• मृत्यवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्तकाय: to Antaka (the Ender)
• अन्तकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वैवस्वताय: to Vaivasvata (son of Vivasvat)
• वैवस्वताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• कालाय: to Time
• कालाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• सर्वभूतक्षयाय: to the destroyer of all beings
• सर्वभूतक्षयाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वभूतानां क्षयः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yama as Dharmarāja and Kāla embodies cosmic justice and the inescapable fruition of karma.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla as īśvara-śakti governing saṃsāra; mṛtyu as a spur to vairāgya and dharma.

Application: Cultivate accountability: remember mortality, restrain harmful acts, and perform dharmic duties knowing karma is audited by Dharmarāja.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: court/realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama-dūta, Yama-sabhā, and karma-vicāra passages

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharmaraja
• Mrityu
• Antaka
• Vaivasvata
• Kala

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Yama in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Yama as Dharma’s king and as Time/Death itself, emphasizing that the after-death journey is governed by moral law (dharma) and karmic accountability.

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

By naming Yama as Dharmaraja and Kala, it signals that the soul’s post-death experience is not random—its movement toward judgment and results is structured by time and karma under Yama’s authority.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and awareness of impermanence: ethical conduct, truthfulness, and responsibility are presented as the real preparation for death and its consequences.