Shloka 6

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

तत्राङ्गारचयौघेन कृतं तद्धरणीसमम् / तत्राग्निना सुतीव्रेण तापिताङ्गारभूमिना

Transliteration

tatrāṅgāracayaughena kṛtaṃ taddharaṇīsamam / tatrāgninā sutīvreṇa tāpitāṅgārabhūminā

Translation

Там, из-за огромной груды сложенных углей, земля становится подобной ложу из пылающих углей. В том месте, от чрезвычайно яростного огня, существо обжигается на земле, раскалённой как уголь.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अङ्गारचयौघेन: by a mass/stream of heaps of embers
• अङ्गारचयौघेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गार + चय + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अङ्गाराणां चयस्य ओघः)

• कृतम्: made / formed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that (place)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धरणीसमम्: like the earth / level with the ground
• धरणीसमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धरणी + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (धरण्या समम्); विशेषणम् (तत्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• अग्निना: by fire
• अग्निना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सुतीव्रेण: very intense
• सुतीव्रेण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अग्निना); सु-उपसर्ग (intensifier)

• तापिताङ्गारभूमिना: by the ground of heated embers
• तापिताङ्गारभूमिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापित (कृदन्त; तप् धातु) + अङ्गार + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तापित-अङ्गार-भूमिः = ground of heated embers)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Papa externalizes as an environment of suffering; the very ‘ground’ of one’s actions becomes unbearable.

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāsa of pain onto the field of experience due to karma; saṃsāric experience shaped by vāsanā and past action.

Application: Cultivate satya and non-deceit to avoid creating ‘burning ground’ consequences; practice confession and corrective action before harm hardens.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: burning plain/pit region

Cross References

Related Themes: Raurava punishment imagery continues through 2.3.7 and beyond

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘burning embers ground’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights a specific torment on the route under Yama’s jurisdiction, portraying how the departed (preta) experiences scorching heat as a consequence of sinful tendencies and karmic residue.

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

It depicts the soul’s post-death passage as an experiential journey where the subtle being undergoes intense conditions—here, a charcoal-hot terrain—emphasizing that the afterlife route is shaped by karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma, and support traditional śrāddha/pinda-dāna practices with sincerity—using the teaching as motivation for ethical conduct and compassionate remembrance of ancestors.