Shloka 21

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

कदापि भाग्ययोगेन तरणेच्छा भवेद्यदि / सानुकूला भवेद्येन तदाकर्णय काश्यप

Transliteration

kadāpi bhāgyayogena taraṇecchā bhavedyadi / sānukūlā bhavedyena tadākarṇaya kāśyapa

Translation

ఎప్పుడైనా భాగ్యయోగవశాత్తు దాటిపోవాలనే కోరిక కలిగితే, ఓ కాశ్యపా, దాటుటకు అనుకూలమగు ఉపాయమును వినుము.

Word by Word

• कदापि: at any time
• कदापि: Desha-kala-adhikarana (देशकाल-अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदा + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: ever/at any time)

• भाग्ययोगेन: by good fortune
• भाग्ययोगेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘भाग्यस्य योगः’ (by the conjunction of fortune)

• तरणेच्छा: desire to cross
• तरणेच्छा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरण (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘तरणस्य इच्छा’ (desire to cross)

• भवेत्: may arise, would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-सम्बन्ध (conditional conjunction)

• सा: that (desire)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अनुकूला: favorable
• अनुकूला: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• भवेत्: may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Desha-kala-adhikarana (देशकाल-अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• आकर्णय: listen
• आकर्णय: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√कर्णय्/√कर्ण (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• काश्यप: O Kāśyapa
• काश्यप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrative instruction addressing Kāśyapa)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the wish for deliverance arises, one should learn and adopt the favorable means (upāya) for safe passage.

Vedantic Theme: Upāya and adhikāra: readiness (desire to cross) must be met with right means; dharmic preparation supports the jīva’s transition.

Application: Seek instruction, prepare supports (dāna/śrāddha/ritual aids), and cultivate timely readiness rather than postponing spiritual and ethical duties.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river/liminal passage

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Vaitaraṇī-crossing aids and cow-dāna passages (contextual cluster around 2.47); Garuda Purana: śrāddha-dāna as upāya for preta’s journey (nearby adhyāyas)

Characters & Entities

• Kāśyapa

FAQs

What is the importance of taraṇa (crossing) in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames “crossing” as a crucial turning point: when the wish to transcend difficult post-death conditions arises, one should learn the supportive means that make the passage favorable.

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

It implies that progress is not random—when merit ripens (bhāgyayoga), the soul becomes receptive to guidance, and specific dharmic supports can make the onward journey easier and more auspicious.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and merit consistently so that, when inner readiness arises, you can adopt the right disciplines (ethical living, charity, remembrance of the divine) that support a favorable transition.