Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

तत्र नाम्ना तु राजा वै जङ्गमः कालरूपधृक् / तं दृष्ट्वा भयभीतस्तु विश्रामे कुरुते मतिम्

Transliteration

tatra nāmnā tu rājā vai jaṅgamaḥ kālarūpadhṛk / taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhayabhītastu viśrāme kurute matim

Translation

ที่นั่นมีราชานามว่า ‘ชังคมะ’ ผู้ทรงรูปแห่งกาลเวลาเอง ครั้นเห็นเขาแล้ว เปรตผู้หวาดกลัวจึงตั้งใจขอหยุดพักเพื่อคลายความสะพรึง.

Word by Word

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

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• जङ्गमः: moving, mobile
• जङ्गमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘राजा’)

• कालरूपधृक्: bearing the form of Time
• कालरूपधृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-रूप-धृक् (प्रातिपदिक; धृ (धातु) + क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त (धृ-धातु, ‘धृक्’ = धारकः); षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समासः (कालस्य रूपं धत्ते)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having seen’

• भयभीतः: frightened with fear
• भयभीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय-भीत (प्रातिपदिक; भी (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); तत्पुरुष-समासः (भयेन भीतः)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• विश्रामे: in rest, in respite
• विश्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरुते: makes, forms
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• मतिम्: intention, thought
• मतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla as the irresistible governor of embodied life and post-mortem passage; fear arises when personal control ends and karmic momentum takes over.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā (impermanence) and kāla-tattva; the jīva’s dependence under niyati until knowledge/devotion liberates.

Application: Contemplate mortality and time; prioritize dharma and sādhana now, reducing attachment and procrastination.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: city/way-station

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta-mārga way-stations and Kāla/Yama governance (adjacent verses in 2.16); Garuda Purana: Yama-dūta imagery and fear of time/death motifs across Pretakalpa chapters

Characters & Entities

• Jaṅgama
• Kāla (Time/Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of Jaṅgama in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Jaṅgama as a fearsome authority on the post-death route, described as embodying Kāla (Time/Death), indicating the inevitability and gravity of judgment in the preta’s journey.

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

It depicts the soul/preta encountering intimidating rulers or guardians; the very sight of such a Kāla-formed figure compels the traveller to pause and seek rest, highlighting fear, exhaustion, and the controlled stages of the journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Remembering death as ‘Kāla’ encourages disciplined living: reduce harmful actions, follow dharma, and perform appropriate śrāddha/charity so one meets the afterlife journey with less fear and obstruction.