Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

कैश्च पापैः कृतैर्देव केन वा शुभकर्मणा / गच्छन्ति मानवास्तत्र कथयस्व विशेषतः

Transliteration

kaiśca pāpaiḥ kṛtairdeva kena vā śubhakarmaṇā / gacchanti mānavāstatra kathayasva viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Ó Senhor, por cometer quais pecados—ou por realizar quais ações auspiciosas—os seres humanos vão a esse reino? Explica-me isso de modo particular e detalhado.

Word by Word

• कैः: by which (ones)
• कैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पापैः: by sins
• पापैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृतैः: done, committed
• कृतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (पापैः)

• देव: O god/lord
• देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केन: by what
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• शुभकर्मणा: by good action
• शुभकर्मणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ+कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुभं कर्म)

• गच्छन्ति: go
• गच्छन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मानवाः: humans
• मानवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• कथयस्व: tell (me)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिजन्त)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विशेषतः: in particular
• विशेषतः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/विशेषवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (specifically)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Request for detailed enumeration of which sins and which auspicious deeds lead humans to that realm.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-vicāra as preparatory knowledge; dharma as alignment with cosmic order; implicit contrast between binding karma and liberating devotion/knowledge (to be developed later).

Application: Seek clarity on ethical do’s/don’ts; adopt preventive ethics (avoid pāpa) and proactive virtue (śubha-karma) with awareness of post-death consequences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: realm/region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: forthcoming/adjacent lists of sins, virtues, and their destinations; descriptions of Yamadūtas and judgment procedures (contextual continuation)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Lord Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of papa (sin) and punya (merit) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the core teaching that post-death destinations are governed by karma—harmful acts (pāpa) and auspicious deeds (śubha-karma)—and asks for a detailed mapping of those causes.

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

It introduces the principle that the soul’s route to specific realms is not random but determined by identifiable actions; the chapter’s ensuing explanation details which deeds lead to particular outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to reduce harmful actions and cultivate ethical, beneficial conduct, since choices made in life are presented as the causes of one’s post-death experience.