Shloka 30

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

चतुरशीतिलक्षाणां नरकाणां स ईश्वरः / तेषां मध्ये श्रेष्ठतमा घोरा या एकविंशतिः

Transliteration

caturaśītilakṣāṇāṃ narakāṇāṃ sa īśvaraḥ / teṣāṃ madhye śreṣṭhatamā ghorā yā ekaviṃśatiḥ

Translation

ท่านเป็นจอมอธิปติแห่งนรกทั้งแปดสิบสี่แสน; และในหมู่นั้น นรกที่สำคัญยิ่ง—แต่แสนสยอง—มีอยู่ยี่สิบเอ็ดประการ।

Word by Word

• चतुरशीतिलक्षाणाम्: of eighty-four lakhs
• चतुरशीतिलक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुरशीति + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगु (चतुरशीति-लक्षाणि = 84 lakhs)

• नरकाणाम्: of hells
• नरकाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

• ईश्वरः: lord, ruler
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मध्ये: in the midst/among
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• श्रेष्ठतमा: the best (most eminent)
• श्रेष्ठतमा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• घोरा: terrible
• घोरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (या/एकविंशतिः)

• या: which
• या: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• एकविंशतिः: twenty-one
• एकविंशतिः: Karta/Bhava (State/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक; समासः—द्विगु (एकविंशतिः = 21)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala is differentiated into many graded narakas; some are paradigmatic and repeatedly taught for moral education.

Vedantic Theme: Multiplicity of experiential worlds (lokas) as karma-constructed; governance remains unified under dharma.

Application: Use the graded consequences as a reflective tool: identify harmful patterns and correct them before they harden into destiny.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic regions

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: enumerations of narakas and their causes (internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Ishvara (sovereign lord of Narakas)

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'twenty-one' hells mentioned in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the twenty-one as the principal and most fearsome categories within the vast system of Narakas, indicating a structured hierarchy of punishments tied to karma.

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

It implies that post-death experiences are governed under a cosmic administration of Narakas, where karmic consequences can place the soul into specific realms—especially within the major twenty-one dreadful Narakas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat actions as consequential: practice ethical restraint, truthfulness, and compassion, since the text presents afterlife outcomes as ordered results of karma rather than random fate.