Shloka 15

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

प्रापयन्ति वशं मृत्योस्ततो याति च यातनाम् / स्वकर्माणि परित्यज्य मुख्यवृत्तानि यानि च

Transliteration

prāpayanti vaśaṃ mṛtyostato yāti ca yātanām / svakarmāṇi parityajya mukhyavṛttāni yāni ca

Translation

Его подводят под власть Смерти; затем он идет к наказаниям. Оставив свои деяния и даже главные занятия, которыми жил в мире, он уносится вперед силой смерти и кармы.

Word by Word

• प्रापयन्ति: they cause (someone) to reach / they bring
• प्रापयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) causative (णिच्)
• Form: लकारः—लट् (Present); पुरुषः—प्रथम; वचनम्—बहुवचनम्; धातोः—प्र-आप् (प्रापयति = प्रापयति/प्रापयन्ति) णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• वशम्: control, subjugation
• वशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); एकवचनम्

• मृत्योः: of death
• मृत्योः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध); एकवचनम्

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: 'thereupon/from that')

• याति: he goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लट् (Present); पुरुषः—प्रथम; वचनम्—एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चयबोधकः (conjunction)

• यातनाम्: torment, punishment
• यातनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); एकवचनम्

• स्वकर्माणि: one's own duties/acts
• स्वकर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); बहुवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य कर्माणि)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purva-kala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: कृदन्तः—ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund); अर्थः—'having abandoned'

• मुख्यवृत्तानि: principal occupations/primary conduct
• मुख्यवृत्तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख्य + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); बहुवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (मुख्याः वृत्तयः)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धः—अन्वयेन 'मुख्यवृत्तानि ... यानि' (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चयबोधकः (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Kanda dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At death, worldly roles and chosen actions fall away; the jiva is propelled by accumulated karma into yātanā (torments).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandhana and the jiva’s saṃsāric momentum; impermanence of worldly identifications (kartṛtva/ahaṅkāra) at the time of death.

Application: Live with ethical vigilance and spiritual preparation; reduce harmful karma and cultivate sattvic disciplines so the post-death trajectory is not dominated by papa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic court/realm of retribution

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama-dūta leading the departed; yātanā descriptions across Pretakalpa chapters; Garuda Purana: emphasis on karma carrying the jiva after death

Characters & Entities

• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Yātanā (punishment/torment)

FAQs

What is the importance of coming under Mṛtyu’s control in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that death is not merely physical; it is a karmic compulsion that overpowers one’s worldly agency, initiating the post-death sequence that leads toward yātanā (punitive experiences).

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

It indicates a transition: once the being is subdued by Death, he is drawn onward to yātanā, leaving behind his familiar karmas and primary worldly roles—signaling the shift from social identity to karmic consequence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness that occupations and status end at death; prioritize dharma and ethical action now, since karma—not worldly routine—determines the post-death experience described in the Garuda Purana.