Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

अष्टमे मासि सम्प्राप्ते नानाक्रन्दपुरं व्रजेत् / नानाक्रन्दगणान्दृष्ट्वा क्रन्दमानान्सुदारुणम्

Transliteration

aṣṭame māsi samprāpte nānākrandapuraṃ vrajet / nānākrandagaṇāndṛṣṭvā krandamānānsudāruṇam

Translation

ఎనిమిదవ మాసము వచ్చినప్పుడు అతడు నానాక్రంద అనే నగరానికి వెళ్తాడు. అక్కడ అనేక విధాలుగా విలపిస్తూ అత్యంత భయంకర వేదనతో కేకలు వేసే గణాలను చూస్తాడు.

Word by Word

• अष्टमे: in the eighth
• अष्टमे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मासि: month
• मासि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: अधिकरण (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+प्राप् (धातु) → सम्प्राप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; पुं/नपुंस, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• नाना-क्रन्द-पुरम्: a city of various wailings
• नाना-क्रन्द-पुरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + क्रन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नानाविधः क्रन्दः यस्मिन् तत्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नाना-क्रन्द-गणान्: groups of various wailings (wailers)
• नाना-क्रन्द-गणान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + क्रन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Gerundial modifier/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• क्रन्दमानान्: wailing
• क्रन्दमानान्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रन्द् (धातु) → क्रन्दमान (कृदन्त, शतृ/लट्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle, परस्मैपद-शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; गणान् इति विशेषणम्

• सु-दारुणम्: very dreadful
• सु-दारुणम्: कर्मविशेषण/भावविशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययपूर्वपद-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (दृश्य/अनुभव) इति भावे

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Post-mortem realms mirror and intensify suffering; the soul witnesses others’ anguish as part of its karmically conditioned passage.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as duḥkha; experiential instruction through bhoga (undergoing results) prior to further transit.

Application: Cultivate dharma and compassion now; support the departed with rites so the journey is less afflicted, and let the vision of suffering motivate ethical living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of successive cities/regions encountered month by month; Garuda Purana: naraka and preta descriptions emphasizing cries, fear, and karmic retribution (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of Nānākranda-pura in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Nānākranda-pura as a specific station in the preta’s journey (the eighth-month stage), characterized by the sight and sound of intense lamentation—highlighting the fearful atmosphere of Yama’s regions and the consequences of embodied actions.

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

It describes the journey as sequential and time-marked: on reaching the eighth month, the soul moves to a named locale and directly witnesses other suffering beings, implying a structured passage through Yama’s domain rather than a vague, instantaneous transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma to avoid causes of post-death distress, and support traditional śrāddha/pinda offerings and remembrance practices that encourage steadiness and auspiciousness for the departed.