Shloka 21

The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds

Devanagari script

तत्पुरं स व्यतिक्रम्य तर्जितो यमकिङ्करैः / प्रयाति चित्रनगरं विचित्रो यत्र पार्थिवः

Transliteration

tatpuraṃ sa vyatikramya tarjito yamakiṅkaraiḥ / prayāti citranagaraṃ vicitro yatra pārthivaḥ

Translation

ఆ నగరాన్ని దాటి, యమకింకరుల బెదిరింపులకు లోనై అతడు చిత్రనగరానికి ప్రయాణిస్తాడు; అక్కడి రాజు విచిత్రరూపుడై అద్భుతుడుగా ఉంటాడు.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (demonstrative)

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• व्यतिक्रम्य: having crossed/overstepped
• व्यतिक्रम्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अति + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वक्रिया (having crossed/overstepping)

• तर्जितः: threatened
• तर्जितः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तर्ज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोगः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यमकिङ्करैः: by Yama's servants
• यमकिङ्करैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम + किङ्कर (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य किङ्कराः)

• प्रयाति: goes/proceeds
• प्रयाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• चित्रनगरम्: the wondrous city
• चित्रनगरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र + नगर (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (चित्रं नगरम्)

• विचित्रः: astonished/strange
• विचित्रः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्ययम् (relative adverb of place)

• पार्थिवः: the king/ruler
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The jīva is compelled onward after death, encountering regulated stations according to karmic governance.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati under īśvara; the embodied identity is left behind while the subtle being is led by cosmic law.

Application: Cultivate dharma and remembrance of Hari; perform timely śrāddha so the departed is not left helpless on the path.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of the southern path (dakṣiṇa-mārga) and Yama’s attendants (yamakiṅkara); Garuda Purana: accounts of intermediate cities/stations encountered by the preta

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamakiṅkaras
• Citranagara
• Pārthiva (ruler/king)

FAQs

What is the importance of Citranagara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places Citranagara as a distinct station on the post-death route, emphasizing that the soul is moved from one ‘city’ to another under the authority of Yama’s system of judgment and control.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It portrays the departed being forcibly directed onward—intimidated by Yama’s attendants—showing the after-death journey as regulated and unavoidable, with successive realms encountered in sequence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with accountability: the verse reinforces that actions have consequences and that one should follow dharma, reduce harmful conduct, and support death-rites and remembrance practices with sincerity.