Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

विहाय तत्पुरं प्रेतो याति तप्तपुरं प्रति / सुतप्तनगरं प्राप्य नवमे मासि सो ऽश्नुते / द्विजभोज्यं पिण्डदानं कृतं श्राद्धं सुतेन यत्

Transliteration

vihāya tatpuraṃ preto yāti taptapuraṃ prati / sutaptanagaraṃ prāpya navame māsi so 'śnute / dvijabhojyaṃ piṇḍadānaṃ kṛtaṃ śrāddhaṃ sutena yat

Translation

ละนครนั้นแล้ว เปรตมุ่งสู่ตัปตปุระ ครั้นถึงสุทัปตนคร ในเดือนที่เก้าเขาได้เสวยศราทธะที่บุตรกระทำ คือการถวายปิณฑะและการเลี้ยงพราหมณ์

Word by Word

• विहाय: having left
• विहाय: क्रियाविशेषण (Gerundial modifier/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि+हा (धातु) → विहाय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• तत्-पुरम्: that city
• तत्-पुरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रेतः: the departed spirit
• प्रेतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तप्त-पुरम्: the heated/burning city
• तप्त-पुरम्: कर्म (Goal as object with प्रति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त, क्त; तप् धातु) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: सम्बन्ध (Directional relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृशं दिशाबोधकं (preposition/adverb meaning 'towards')

• सु-तप्त-नगरम्: the very-heated city
• सु-तप्त-नगरम्: कर्म (Object/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + तप्त (कृदन्त, क्त; तप् धातु) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Gerundial modifier/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र+आप्/प्राप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• नवमे: in the ninth
• नवमे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मासि: month
• मासि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अश्नुते: eats/partakes
• अश्नुते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• द्विज-भोज्यम्: fit to be eaten by Brahmins
• द्विज-भोज्यम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + भोज्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजैः भोज्यम्/द्विजानां भोज्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पिण्डदानं/श्राद्धं) इति विशेषणम्

• पिण्ड-दानम्: offering of rice-balls
• पिण्ड-दानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृतम्: performed
• कृतम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेषणम्

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha
• श्राद्धम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुतेन: by the son
• सुतेन: करण/कर्ता (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative pronoun link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ninth month after death (navama-māsika)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Putra-dharma: the son’s śrāddha—piṇḍa-dāna and brāhmaṇa-bhojana—directly nourishes the preta amid harsh transit conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and ṛṇa (debts): pitṛ-ṛṇa is discharged through śrāddha; subtle causality links anna-dāna to post-mortem well-being.

Application: In the ninth month, perform śrāddha with piṇḍa-dāna and respectful feeding of qualified brāhmaṇas (or dhārmic equivalents per capacity), dedicating merit to the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: piṇḍa-dāna as forming/supporting the preta-body and easing travel (general internal parallel); Garuda Purana: emphasis on putra’s role in śrāddha and pitṛ-tarpaṇa

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Dwija (Brahmanas)
• Son (suta)

FAQs

What is the importance of the ninth-month śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that in the ninth month, after reaching Sutaptanagara, the preta specifically partakes of the śrāddha performed by the son—especially the piṇḍa-offering and feeding of brāhmaṇas—indicating direct benefit to the departed during that stage of the journey.

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

It describes a sequential movement of the preta from one region/city to another; here, the preta leaves a prior city and goes toward Taptapura, reaching Sutaptanagara, showing the after-death journey as a staged passage with experiences linked to time (months).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha with sincerity—piṇḍa-dāna and respectful feeding of qualified brāhmaṇas or appropriate charitable equivalents as guided by tradition—remembering that the rite is meant as tangible support and remembrance for the departed and as a discipline of dharma for the family.