Shloka 13

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाय प्रतीश्रुत्य यमार्थं न ददाति तम् / आहूय नास्ति यो ब्रूयात्तस्य वासस्तु तत्र वै

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāya pratīśrutya yamārthaṃ na dadāti tam / āhūya nāsti yo brūyāttasya vāsastu tatra vai

Translation

ผู้ใดให้สัญญาจะถวายแก่พราหมณ์แล้วไม่มอบให้ และผู้ใดเรียกคนมาแล้วกล่าวหลอกว่า “เขาไม่อยู่ที่นี่” สำหรับผู้นั้นย่อมมีที่พำนักอยู่ ณ ที่นั้นในแดนยม

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇāya: to a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• pratīśrutya: having promised
• pratīśrutya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati-√śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having promised/assured’

• yam: which
• yam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• artham: thing/wealth (promised item)
• artham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (Negative particle)

• dadāti: gives
• dadāti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• tam: that (person)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• āhūya: having summoned
• āhūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√hū (हू) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having called/summoned’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (Negative particle)

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• brūyāt: should say
• brūyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• vāsaḥ: dwelling/residence
• vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (adversative/emphatic)

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

• vai: certainly
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (Emphatic particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Satya (truthfulness) and honoring promises—especially to brāhmaṇas—are binding; deceit and promise-breaking generate papa.

Vedantic Theme: Vāk-śuddhi and karma: speech as action with consequences; adharma strengthens bondage.

Application: Keep commitments; if unable, communicate honestly and make amends; avoid manipulative lying and evasions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: yamaloka domain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated condemnation of asatya, dāna-viṣaya-doṣa, and brāhmaṇa-droha

Characters & Entities

• Brahmana
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of keeping promises (especially dana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats a pledged gift to a Brāhmaṇa as a dharmic obligation; breaking it becomes a punishable deceit that leads to suffering under Yama’s jurisdiction.

How does this verse relate to Yama’s judgment after death?

It lists specific acts of dishonesty—reneging on a promised gift and misleading speech—as causes for being assigned an abode in Yama’s punitive realms, reflecting karmic accountability after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid making vows you cannot fulfill, honor committed donations, and do not use lies or evasions to mislead others—truthful speech and reliability are presented as protections against harmful karma.