Hari-stuti by Śrī, Brahmā, Vāyu, Sarasvatī, Śeṣa, Garuḍa, Rudra, Vāruṇī and Pārvatī
Humility, Surrender, and the Power of the Name
अवताररूपे यमदुः खादिकं च न चिन्तनीयं ज्ञानिभिर्देवदेव / अहं कदाचित्सुखनाशप्रदेशे दैत्यांस्तथा मारयितुं गतोस्मि
avatārarūpe yamaduḥ khādikaṃ ca na cintanīyaṃ jñānibhirdevadeva / ahaṃ kadācitsukhanāśapradeśe daityāṃstathā mārayituṃ gatosmi
ข้าแต่เทพเหนือเทพ ความทุกข์อันเกี่ยวกับยมะและการทรมานจากเหล่า ‘ผู้เขมือบ’ (คาทิกะ) ที่ปรากฏในรูปอวตารนั้น มิควรให้บัณฑิตหวาดหวั่นหรือหมกมุ่นคิดถึงเลย เพราะแม้ข้าพเจ้าเองก็เคยไปยังแดนที่ความสุขถูกทำลาย เพื่อปราบเหล่าไทตยะ ณ ที่นั้น
Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda, Vinata-putra)
Concept: The wise do not fixate on Yama’s terrors; remembrance of the Lord’s avatāric power dispels fear.
Vedantic Theme: Abhayam through īśvara-āśraya; fear arises from identification with the body, while the jñānī rests in the imperishable.
Application: When anxiety about death/afterlife arises, shift attention from imagery of punishment to devotion and discernment; cultivate abhayam via nāma-smaraṇa and right understanding.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: region/realm
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa): recurring counsel that fear of Yama is overcome by dharma and Hari-smaraṇa (general thematic parallel)
This verse says the wise (jñānīs) should not mentally cling to fear of Yama’s torments; spiritual knowledge and devotion steady the mind beyond panic about punitive afterlife imagery.
By contrasting the wise person’s non-fear with descriptions of Yama’s punishments, it implies that one’s inner state (knowledge, dharma) determines whether Yama’s realm is experienced as terror or as a lesson within cosmic order.
Live dharmically and cultivate steady remembrance of the Divine; use teachings on Yama and punishment as ethical guidance, not as anxiety—let fear become motivation for right conduct and spiritual practice.