Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

पापिनो नोपतिष्ठन्ति दाहश्राद्धजलाञ्जलि / भ्रमन्ति वायुभूतास्ते ये क्षुद्राः पापकर्मिणः

Transliteration

pāpino nopatiṣṭhanti dāhaśrāddhajalāñjali / bhramanti vāyubhūtāste ye kṣudrāḥ pāpakarmiṇaḥ

Translation

Para os pecadores, a oferenda de água (jalāñjali) ligada aos ritos fúnebres e ao śrāddha não lhes alcança. Esses mesquinhos praticantes do mal vagueiam, feitos como o vento—irrequietos e sem amparo.

Word by Word

• पापिनः: sinners
• पापिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (as substantive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• उपतिष्ठन्ति: approach/attend
• उपतिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• दाहश्राद्धजलाञ्जलिम्: the water-offering (añjali) of the funeral śrāddha/cremation rites
• दाहश्राद्धजलाञ्जलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाह-श्राद्ध-जल-अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: दाह + श्राद्ध + जल + अञ्जलि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (जलस्य अञ्जलिः; दाहश्राद्धस्य जलाञ्जलिः)

• भ्रमन्ति: wander
• भ्रमन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वायुभूताः: become like wind; wind-formed
• वायुभूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु-भूत (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: वायु + भूत)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘ते’)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सूचक (relative pronoun)

• क्षुद्राः: base; petty
• क्षुद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘ये/पापकर्मिणः’)

• पापकर्मिणः: evil-doers; those of sinful deeds
• पापकर्मिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: पाप + कर्मिन्)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापं कर्म यस्य/येन सः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-funeral śrāddha context (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Papa obstructs the efficacy/reception of śrāddha-related water offerings; the sinner’s subtle state becomes unstable and wandering.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and the binding force of adharma upon the jīva’s post-mortem trajectory; dependence on saṃskāra and merit for orderly passage.

Application: Cultivate ethical conduct and avoid ‘kṣudra’ (petty) wrongdoing; perform śrāddha with purity, but understand it cannot override entrenched papa without repentance and dharmic living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta-wandering when rites/merit are deficient; Garuda Purana: śrāddha efficacy conditioned by adhikāra and purity (general śrāddha sections)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Sinners (pāpinaḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of jalāñjali and śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that water-offerings and śrāddha are meant to support the departed, but severe sin can obstruct the benefit, leaving the preta unsettled.

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

It depicts certain sinful dead as “wind-like,” indicating an unstable preta-state—wandering and unable to properly receive ritual support meant to steady the post-death transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically to avoid karmic obstruction, and perform death rites with sincerity—treating śrāddha and water offerings as disciplined acts of duty and remembrance.