Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

शैलागमं चतुर्थे स मासे प्राप्नोति वै पुरम् / पाषाणास्तत्र वर्षन्ति प्रेतस्योपरि संस्थिताः

Transliteration

śailāgamaṃ caturthe sa māse prāpnoti vai puram / pāṣāṇāstatra varṣanti pretasyopari saṃsthitāḥ

Translation

ครั้นถึงเดือนที่สี่ เขาย่อมไปถึงนครชื่อ ‘ไศลาคม’ ที่นั่นก้อนหินโปรยลงดุจฝนจากเบื้องบน กระหน่ำถูกเปรต

Word by Word

• शैलागमम्: Śailāgama (a city/place)
• शैलागमम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष — 'of the mountain'

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth
• चतुर्थे: अधिकरण (Time locus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• स: he
• स: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• मासे: in the month
• मासे: अधिकरण (Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राप्नोति: reaches
• प्राप्नोति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप्/आप्नोति (धातु √आप्/√आप्-प्राप्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/assertion)

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पाषाणाः: stones
• पाषाणाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वर्षन्ति: rain down
• वर्षन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• प्रेतस्य: of the preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपरि: upon / above
• उपरि: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वसर्ग (prepositional adverb)

• संस्थिताः: standing/positioned
• संस्थिताः: विशेषण (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृत् — 'standing/placed'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The preta undergoes painful ordeals in the post-mortem journey; suffering manifests as a consequence of karmic condition and the liminal state.

Vedantic Theme: Embodied-like suffering persists in subtle form until transition; saṃsāric causality continues beyond death.

Application: Do not neglect rites and ethical living; cultivate dharma to avoid harsh post-mortem experiences and support the departed through offerings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: stone/mountain city (pura) on the preta-path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of harsh stations and torments on the preta-path surrounding this sequence; Garuda Purana: naraka/torment imagery elsewhere in Pretakalpa (general parallel motifs)

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of Śailāgama in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Śailāgama as a specific waypoint in the preta’s post-death route, marked by a characteristic torment—stones raining down—highlighting the suffering experienced in the intermediate journey.

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

It describes the preta’s progression in stages measured by months; in the fourth month the preta reaches a named ‘city’ and undergoes a defined affliction, implying an ordered, sequential itinerary in Yama’s post-mortem domains.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages mindful living and dharmic conduct, and for families it reinforces the seriousness with which Garuda Purana treats post-death rites and remembrance, supporting ethical restraint and responsible ritual observance.