Shloka 24

Vāstu-pūjā, Vāstu-maṇḍala Deities, Site Computations, and Doorway/Tree Prescriptions

Devanagari script

अग्निजिह्वः कालकश्च करालो ह्यकपादकः / ऐशान्यां भीमरूपस्तु पाताले प्रेतनायकः

Transliteration

agnijihvaḥ kālakaśca karālo hyakapādakaḥ / aiśānyāṃ bhīmarūpastu pātāle pretanāyakaḥ

Translation

अग्निजिह्वः कालकश्च करालो ह्यकपादकः। ऐशान्यां भीमरूपस्तु, पाताले प्रेतनायकः॥

Word by Word

• agni-jihvaḥ: Agnijihva (fire-tongued; name)
• agni-jihvaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + jihvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose tongue is fire)

• kālakaḥ: Kālaka (name)
• kālakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• karālaḥ: Karāla (name)
• karālaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/indeed)

• akapādakaḥ: Akapādaka (name)
• akapādakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + kapādaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समासभाव (negated descriptor)

• aiśānyām: in the northeast (direction)
• aiśānyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; दिशि अधिकरण (locative of direction: northeast)

• bhīma-rūpaḥ: Bhīmarūpa (terrible-formed; name)
• bhīma-rūpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (having a terrible form)

• tu: and/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• pātāle: in Pātāla (netherworld)
• pātāle: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• preta-nāyakaḥ: leader of the pretas (name/title)
• preta-nāyakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + nāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (leader of pretas)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Liminal beings (preta forces) and fierce guardians occupy specific realms/directions; the cosmos includes unseen administrations responding to conduct and ritual order.

Vedantic Theme: Multiplicity of lokas within saṃsāra; fearsome forms as functions within cosmic law, not ultimate reality.

Application: In protective rites, especially vāstu/dikbandhana, attend carefully to the NE and to subterranean/threshold spaces (foundations, pits), using prescribed appeasement and purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: directional quarter; nether region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.46.22-23 (continuation of guardian lists); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections describing pretas and their governance (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Agnijihva
• Kālaka
• Karāla
• Akapādaka
• Bhīmarūpa
• Pretanāyaka
• Pretas
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the importance of naming beings like Agnijihva and Bhīmarūpa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a catalog of Yama’s fearsome functionaries and stations, mapping the after-death administration by listing specific named powers associated with directions and nether regions.

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

By indicating directional posts (like the north‑east) and realms such as Pātāla with a ‘pretanāyaka,’ it implies an organized cosmography through which the departed (preta condition) are overseen and moved within Yama’s jurisdiction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It reinforces the Garuda Purana’s ethical emphasis: live with dharma and perform appropriate śrāddha/pinda offerings so the departed are not left in a troubled preta condition under harsh afterlife authorities.