Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

नित्यं सन्निहितो मृत्युः कर्तव्यो धर्मसंगहः / कृष्णां वा पाटलां वापि कुर्याद्वैतरणीं शुभाम्

Transliteration

nityaṃ sannihito mṛtyuḥ kartavyo dharmasaṃgahaḥ / kṛṣṇāṃ vā pāṭalāṃ vāpi kuryādvaitaraṇīṃ śubhām

Translation

ความตายอยู่ใกล้เสมอ ฉะนั้นพึงสั่งสมและธำรงธรรมไว้เป็นนิตย์ และพึงจัดเตรียมไวตระณีอันเป็นมงคล ด้วยโคสีดำหรือโคสีปาฏลา (แดงเรื่อ)

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• सन्निहितः: present/near
• सन्निहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्-निहित (कृदन्त; नि+धा/धि-आधारे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle), विशेषण (qualifying मृत्युः)

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तव्यः: to be done/should be done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi (विधि/आवश्यकता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be done’), विधेय-विशेषण

• धर्म-संग्रहः: accumulation of merit/dharma
• धर्म-संग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य संग्रहः)

• कृष्णाम्: black (cow)
• कृष्णाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वैतरणीम्—गौः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• पाटलाम्: reddish/brownish (cow)
• पाटलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाटला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वैतरणीम्—गौः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• कुर्यात्: should make/do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• वैतरणीम्: Vaitaraṇī (ritual cow/aid)
• वैतरणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; (गौः/दानवस्तु-रूपा)

• शुभाम्: auspicious
• शुभाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वैतरणीम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Before death / as ongoing preparation (nitya readiness)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Since death is always near, one must continually gather dharma and prepare the Vaitaraṇī-aid through cow-dāna.

Vedantic Theme: Smaraṇa of mṛtyu (death-awareness) as a catalyst for dharmic living; karma as preparatory purification supporting the jīva’s onward journey.

Application: Live with death-awareness; maintain ongoing charity and duty; if following tradition, perform prescribed cow-dāna/related rites as part of end-of-life preparedness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river/threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Vaitaraṇī river descriptions and cow-dāna as crossing support (nearby passages); Garuda Purana: exhortations to accumulate dharma due to mṛtyu-sannidhi (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Vaitaraṇī
• Dharma
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Vaitaraṇī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Vaitaraṇī as a critical crossing in the post-death journey and recommends preparing an auspicious means of crossing—traditionally linked with cow-gift/rite—so the departed is not obstructed.

How does this verse explain preparation for death?

It emphasizes that death is always near, so one should not delay: gather dharma through right conduct and also arrange prescribed supportive rites (here, Vaitaraṇī) that aid the soul’s passage after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with urgency in dharma—ethical conduct, charity, and duty—while also planning family-observed śrāddha/daana traditions in a principled way (guided by competent priests and one’s means).