Shloka 87

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

ते यमेन विनिर्दिष्टां योनिं पुण्यगतिं नराः / प्रगीतगन्धर्वगणा नृत्योत्सवसमाकुलाः

Transliteration

te yamena vinirdiṣṭāṃ yoniṃ puṇyagatiṃ narāḥ / pragītagandharvagaṇā nṛtyotsavasamākulāḥ

Translation

ఆ మనుష్యులు యముడు నిర్దేశించిన పుణ్యగతిని, పునర్జన్మయోనిని పొందుతారు; అక్కడ గంధర్వగణాలు గానం చేస్తాయి, ఆ లోకం నృత్యోత్సవాలతో నిండివుంటుంది।

Word by Word

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यमेन: by Yama
• यमेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• विनिर्दिष्टाम्: assigned/indicated
• विनिर्दिष्टाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + निर् + दिश् (धातु) → विनिर्दिष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (योनिम्)

• योनिम्: womb/birth
• योनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुण्यगतिम्: a meritorious course/destination
• पुण्यगतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुण्यस्य गतिः)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘ते’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• प्रगीतगन्धर्वगणाः: companies of Gandharvas who sing
• प्रगीतगन्धर्वगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रगीत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from प्र + गा, क्त) + गन्धर्व + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (प्रगीताः गन्धर्वगणाः) कर्मधारय-भावेन/विशेषणपूर्वपद-युक्त समास

• नृत्योत्सवसमाकुलाः: filled with dance and festivities
• नृत्योत्सवसमाकुलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत्य + उत्सव + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नराः/गणाः); (नृत्य-उत्सवेन समाकुलाः) तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit leads to an ordained blessed course where celestial arts and festivities abound, under Yama’s governance.

Vedantic Theme: Heavenly enjoyment is a karmic fruit (bhoga) and thus finite; it points beyond itself to the need for mokṣa.

Application: Perform dharmic acts and worship with purity; enjoy prosperity without attachment, remembering it is a temporary fruit of karma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial court/pleasure-grove (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: punya-gati and svarga descriptions (sections following the naraka accounts)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Gandharvas

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama’s ordinance (vinirdiṣṭa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Yama as the cosmic adjudicator who assigns an appropriate destination and mode of embodiment (yoni) according to one’s merit, emphasizing moral causality rather than randomness after death.

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

It indicates that souls with puṇya (merit) proceed to an auspicious gati marked by harmony and delight—symbolized by Gandharva song and celebratory surroundings—before further embodiment as ordained.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live in a way that builds puṇya—truthfulness, restraint, charity, and dharma—since the text frames post-death outcomes as structured results of one’s actions and character.