Shloka 37

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

दह्यमानाङ्घ्रियुगला धरणिस्थेन वह्निना / तेषां गतानां तत्रापि अति शीतिः समीरणः

Transliteration

dahyamānāṅghriyugalā dharaṇisthena vahninā / teṣāṃ gatānāṃ tatrāpi ati śītiḥ samīraṇaḥ

Translation

เท้าทั้งสองของพวกเขาถูกเผาไหม้ด้วยไฟที่ผุดขึ้นจากพื้นดิน และเมื่อเดินต่อไป แม้ที่นั่นก็ยังมีลมหนาวจัดพัดกระทบพวกเขา

Word by Word

• dahyamānā-aṅghri-yugalāḥ: whose pair of feet is being burnt
• dahyamānā-aṅghri-yugalāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dah (धातु) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + yugala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘dahyamāna’ = शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि वर्तमान कृदन्त (present passive participle: being burnt); तत्पुरुष (dahyamānaṃ aṅghri-yugalaṃ yeṣām = whose pair of feet is being burnt)

• dharaṇi-sthena: situated on the ground
• dharaṇi-sthena: Karaṇa (Instrumental qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (dharaṇyāṃ sthita = situated on the ground)

• vahninā: by fire
• vahninā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन (pronoun)

• gatānām: of those who have gone
• gatānām: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘gata’; षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन (agreeing with teṣām)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• ati: excessively
• ati: Viśeṣaṇa (Intensifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय)
• Form: अतिशयार्थक-अव्यय (intensifier: exceedingly)

• śītiḥ: coldness
• śītiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• samīraṇaḥ: wind
• samīraṇaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic suffering can manifest as alternating opposites; there is no stable comfort in naraka until karmic fruition is exhausted.

Vedantic Theme: Dvandvas (pairs of opposites) bind the embodied; liberation transcends heat/cold through knowledge and devotion.

Application: Practice equanimity toward dvandvas while alive; reduce harmful actions; cultivate steady sādhana (japa, satya, ahiṃsā) to avoid such states.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: naraka ground emitting fire; exposed corridor swept by icy wind

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: alternating heat/cold punishments and environmental torments (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of extreme heat and cold in the Garuda Purana’s after-death journey?

This verse highlights the alternating torments (scorching ground-fire and freezing wind) faced by the departed, emphasizing karmic suffering and the harshness of the route toward Yama’s realm.

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

It depicts the preta’s onward movement through regions where the environment itself becomes punitive—first burning the feet from earth-born fire, then afflicting with intense cold wind—showing the journey as a sequence of distressing stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma to reduce harmful karmic outcomes, and support traditional śrāddha/charity practices intended to aid the departed and cultivate compassion among the living.