Shloka 127

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

यदा तदा यमदूतैश्च सम्यक् संताड्यमाने यममार्गे च मूढः / भीमः स वै कुत्र पलायितोभूतो मूलं विष्णुपादं भजस्व

Transliteration

yadā tadā yamadūtaiśca samyak saṃtāḍyamāne yamamārge ca mūḍhaḥ / bhīmaḥ sa vai kutra palāyitobhūto mūlaṃ viṣṇupādaṃ bhajasva

Translation

ఎప్పుడైనా యమదూతలు నిన్ను బాగా కొట్టి యమమార్గంలో నిలబెట్టినప్పుడు నీవు మూర్ఖుడై తికమకపడితే, భయంతో నీవు ఎక్కడికి పారిపోగలవు? కాబట్టి మూలాశ్రయం అయిన శ్రీ విష్ణుపాదాలను భజించి శరణు పొందు।

Word by Word

• yadā: when
• yadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• yamadūtaiḥ: by Yama’s messengers
• yamadūtaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama-dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; तत्पुरुषः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• samyak: thoroughly
• samyak: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• saṃtāḍyamāne: while being beaten
• saṃtāḍyamāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-tāḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (वर्तमान-कर्मणि कृदन्त/शानच्), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; सप्तमी-absolute: ‘while being beaten’

• yama-mārge: on Yama’s path
• yama-mārge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘on the path of Yama’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• mūḍhaḥ: deluded (one)
• mūḍhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used adjectivally

• bhīmaḥ: O Bhīma / Bhīma
• bhīmaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; vocative sense possible by context

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• kutra: where?
• kutra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutra (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• palāyitaḥ: fled
• palāyitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: palāy (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• abhūtaḥ: became/was
• abhūtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd person, Singular; written as abhūto by sandhi

• mūlam: the root
• mūlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• viṣṇu-pādam: Viṣṇu’s feet
• viṣṇu-pādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘Viṣṇu’s feet’

• bhajasva: worship/seek
• bhajasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as part of the Preta Kanda discourse)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In the extremity of karmic consequence, no worldly or sectarian refuge holds; surrender to Viṣṇu’s feet is the root-protection.

Vedantic Theme: Śaraṇāgati and īśvara-prapatti; the Lord as ultimate āśraya beyond karma’s terror.

Application: Cultivate daily Viṣṇu-smaraṇa and surrender before crisis; live so that remembrance of Viṣṇu becomes spontaneous at death.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: path/road

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama’s messengers, Yamamārga descriptions, and Viṣṇu-nāma as protection (thematic internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of taking refuge in Vishnu’s feet in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Vishnu-pāda-śaraṇāgati as the ultimate protection when the soul faces the terrors of Yama’s path—implying that mere worldly escape is impossible, but divine refuge is foundational.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death (Yama-mārga)?

It depicts the Yama-mārga as a fearful, punitive passage where the bewildered soul may be chastised by Yamadūtas, emphasizing the urgency of spiritual preparation and remembrance of Vishnu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotion and ethical living so the mind naturally turns to Vishnu at critical moments; regular nāma-japa, prayer, and dharmic conduct are presented as the safest preparation for death’s transition.