Shloka 3

Arrival at Yama’s cities: Citragupta’s scrutiny, Dharmadhvaja’s gate, and the necessity of dāna

Devanagari script

महादानेषुदत्तेषु गतस्तत्र सुखी भवेत् / योजनानां चतुर्विंशत्पुरं वैवस्वतं शुभम्

Transliteration

mahādāneṣudatteṣu gatastatra sukhī bhavet / yojanānāṃ caturviṃśatpuraṃ vaivasvataṃ śubham

Translation

మహాదానాలు చేసినవాడు అక్కడికి చేరితే సుఖిగా ఉంటాడు. వైవస్వతుడు (యముడు) యొక్క ఆ శుభ నగరం ఇరవై నాలుగు యోజనాల విస్తీర్ణం కలది।

Word by Word

• महादानेषु: in great donations
• महादानेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + दान (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (Neuter, Loc., Pl.; 'in great gifts')

• दत्तेषु: having been given
• दत्तेषु: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Locative absolute/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Neuter, Loc., Pl.; 'when given')

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Masculine, Nom., Sg.; 'having gone')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Sg.)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, 3rd sg.)

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Neuter, Gen., Pl.)

• चतुर्विंशत्पुरम्: the city (at) twenty-four (yojanas)
• चतुर्विंशत्पुरम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विंशत् + पुर (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.; 'city of twenty-four')

• वैवस्वतम्: of Vaivasvata (Yama)
• वैवस्वतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Great gifts (mahā-dāna) generate puṇya that brings happiness even in Yama’s regions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma/puṇya as purifier and as cause of sukha within saṃsāra; preparatory value for higher pursuits.

Application: Practice structured generosity—support food, shelter, learning, and protection—dedicating the merit to dharma and inner purification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dana-prashamsa and mahā-dāna sections (thematic within Purana)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Vaivasvata

FAQs

What is the importance of mahā-dāna (great charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that those who have performed great gifts attain happiness upon reaching Yama’s realm, indicating that major acts of charity generate merit (puṇya) that eases the post-death journey.

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

It links the preta’s well-being in the afterlife to prior meritorious actions—specifically mahā-dāna—and situates the journey within Yama’s domain, mentioning the vast extent of Vaivasvata’s city.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate generosity and support dharmic giving; the verse frames sustained, significant charity as a karmic support that leads to inner ease and favorable outcomes beyond this life.