Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

अवदन्मज्जमानस्तु निन्दत्यात्मानमात्मना / पाथेयार्थं मया किञ्चिन्न प्रदत्तं द्विजायच

Transliteration

avadanmajjamānastu nindatyātmānamātmanā / pātheyārthaṃ mayā kiñcinna pradattaṃ dvijāyaca

Translation

เมื่อจมอยู่ในทุกข์ เขาคร่ำครวญและตำหนิตนเองในดวงใจว่า “เพื่อเสบียงแห่งการเดินทาง ข้าพเจ้าไม่เคยถวายทานแม้เพียงน้อยแก่พราหมณ์ผู้เป็นทวิชะเลย”

Word by Word

• अवदत्: said/spoke
• अवदत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• मज्जमानः: sinking/drowning (one)
• मज्जमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• निन्दति: blames/criticizes
• निन्दति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• आत्मानम्: himself/the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg)

• आत्मना: by himself/with the self
• आत्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg)

• पाथेयार्थम्: for provisions/for travel-expense
• पाथेयार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाथेय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'for the purpose of provisions'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg)

• किञ्चित्: anything/something
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित-प्रमाणवाचक (indefinite), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• प्रदत्तम्: given (was given)
• प्रदत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg); कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (given)

• द्विजाय: to a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc.), चतुर्थी (Dat. 4), एकवचन (sg)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Neglect of dāna (especially to brāhmaṇas) becomes immediate suffering and deprivation in the after-death passage; inner conscience becomes the first witness.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and antaryāmin-like witnessing conscience (sākṣitva) operating through one’s own mind; bondage through omission (akaraṇa-doṣa) as well as commission.

Application: Regularly give food/wealth in charity, especially connected with śrāddha and hospitality; treat dāna as ‘provision’ for both this life and the next.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: themes of preta’s dependence on śrāddha-piṇḍa, udaka, and dāna as pātheya; Garuda Purana: repeated injunctions to feed brāhmaṇas and perform śrāddha for preta-gati

Characters & Entities

• Brahmana (Dvija)

FAQs

What is the importance of pātheya (journey provisions) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames charity (especially dāna to a dvija/brāhmaṇa) as “pātheya”—spiritual provisions that support the departed being on the difficult post-death journey.

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

It depicts the departed as mentally suffering and self-reproaching, implying that neglect of meritorious acts like dāna becomes a source of torment during the preta’s onward passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice timely charity and support worthy recipients while alive—treating generosity as essential spiritual preparation rather than something postponed to the end of life.