Shloka 14

Durgā Pūjā, 108-Nāma Japa, and Protective Homa in Preta-Kalpa Observance

Devanagari script

शक्तिहस्ताश्रितौ चान्यौ रटोणी मुसलान्वितौ / पाशतोमरसंयुक्तौ ढक्रापणवसंयुतौ

Transliteration

śaktihastāśritau cānyau raṭoṇī musalānvitau / pāśatomarasaṃyuktau ḍhakrāpaṇavasaṃyutau

Translation

शक्तिहस्ताश्रितौ चान्यौ रटोणी मुसलान्वितौ । पाशतोमरसंयुक्तौ ढक्कापणवसंयुतौ ॥

Word by Word

• शक्ति-हस्त-आश्रितौ: the two who are associated with weapons (spear/hand-weapon)
• शक्ति-हस्त-आश्रितौ: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (कृदन्त; √श्रि धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शक्तिहस्तौ आश्रितौ = ‘having taken refuge in/holding spear and hand-weapon’); विशेषणम्

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

• अन्यौ: two others
• अन्यौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• रटोणी: (two) raṭoṇīs (name/type of beings/instruments)
• रटोणी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रटोणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; (द्विवचन-रूपम्)

• मुसल-अन्वितौ: accompanied with clubs
• मुसल-अन्वितौ: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ धातु/अन्वि-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मुसलेन अन्वितौ = ‘accompanied with clubs’); विशेषणम्

• पाश-तोमर-संयुक्तौ: joined with noose and spear
• पाश-तोमर-संयुक्तौ: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक) + तोमर (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषभावः (पाशश्च तोमरश्च ताभ्यां संयुक्तौ); विशेषणम्

• ढक्र-आ- पणव-संयुतौ: accompanied with ḍhakra and paṇava (drums)
• ढक्र-आ- पणव-संयुतौ: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ढक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पणव (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषभावः (ढक्रश्च पणवश्च ताभ्यां संयुतौ); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic accountability is enforced by fearsome agents; wrongdoing leads to coercive restraint (pāśa) and punishment.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati under Īśvara’s order; saṃsāra sustained by action and its binding results.

Application: Cultivate restraint and ethical conduct; use the imagery as a memento mori to avoid papa and to take refuge in dharma and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of Yamadūtas with pāśa and daṇḍa (general parallel motifs); Garuda Purana: naraka/karma-phala sections where drums and messengers herald judgment (motif-level)

Characters & Entities

• Yama’s attendants (Yamadūtas)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing Yamadūtas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes the fearsome, forceful role of Yama’s attendants—armed with nooses and weapons—who seize and drive the departed along the post-death path, underscoring karmic accountability.

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

By portraying the messengers as equipped with pāśa (noose) and weapons with alarming drum-sounds, the text signals that the soul is compelled onward under Yama’s authority, especially when bound by unexhausted karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma—avoid harmful actions that strengthen fear and bondage—and support ancestral rites and ethical living as reminders of accountability beyond death.