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Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

येषां तु नरके घोरे बह्वब्दानि गतानि वै / सन्तातर्नैव विद्यते दूतत्वं ते तु (प्रेत्य) यान्ति हि

Transliteration

yeṣāṃ tu narake ghore bahvabdāni gatāni vai / santātarnaiva vidyate dūtatvaṃ te tu (pretya) yānti hi

Translation

ผู้ที่อยู่ในนรกอันน่าสะพรึงเป็นเวลาหลายปี และไม่มีวงศ์สืบต่อ—ครั้นตายแล้ว ย่อมไปสู่ภาวะเป็นทูตของยม

Word by Word
येषाम्of whom
येषाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; genitive plural (pronoun)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (contrastive particle)
नरकेin hell
नरके:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootनरक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular masculine
घोरेterrible
घोरे:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative singular masculine; विशेषण
बह्वब्दानिmany years
बह्वब्दानि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootबहु + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; here with 'गतानि' → प्रथमा बहुवचन; nominative plural neuter
गतानिgone/passed
गतानि:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootगम् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → गत (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agrees with बह्वब्दानि
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic particle)
सन्तातःcontinuity/lineage (issue)
सन्तातः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसन्तात (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation)
एवat all/indeed
एव:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic particle)
विद्यतेexists/is found
विद्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु) (सत्तायाम्)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; present indicative 3rd sg
दूतत्वम्the state of being a messenger (dūta)
दूतत्वम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदूत + त्व (तद्धित) → दूतत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as predicate-noun; nominative/accusative singular neuter
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; nominative plural (pronoun)
तुbut
तु:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (contrastive particle)
प्रेत्यhaving died/after death
प्रेत्य:
Kriya (Adverbial action/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र + इ (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त) → प्रेत्य
Formल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)
यान्तिgo
यान्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; present indicative 3rd pl
हिfor/indeed
हि:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (causal/emphatic particle)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Extended papa-phala plus absence of santāna (lineage/support) results in a further post-mortem condition—becoming a yamadūta-like messenger.

Vedantic Theme: Bondage through karma and social ties; dependence on saṃskāra and family duty within vyavahāra.

Application: Live so as to avoid heavy papa; also sustain dharmic household duties (gṛhastha responsibilities) and ensure proper rites/continuity to prevent post-mortem deprivation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: naraka to administrative function in Yamaloka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: yamadūta functions and preta’s dependence on offerings (context leading into 2.18.35–36)

Characters & Entities
N
Naraka
Y
Yama-dutas

FAQs

This verse presents it as a post-death condition linked to prolonged suffering in naraka and the absence of family continuity, indicating an ongoing role within Yama’s system rather than immediate release.

It states that some beings, after enduring long periods in dreadful hell, may transition into the function of Yama’s messengers, showing that post-death states can include service-like roles shaped by karma.

Live ethically to avoid harsh karmic outcomes, and uphold dharmic family and ancestral responsibilities (such as śrāddha and charity) as part of a disciplined life.

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