Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

ऋषयः सर्वमेवैतज्जन्तूनां प्रभवादिकम् / मरणं जन्म च तथा प्रेतत्वञ्चौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

ṛṣayaḥ sarvamevaitajjantūnāṃ prabhavādikam / maraṇaṃ janma ca tathā pretatvañcaurdhvadaihikam

Translation

เหล่าฤๅษีได้สั่งสอนสิ่งทั้งปวงนี้โดยครบถ้วน—กำเนิดของสัตว์ทั้งหลายและเรื่องที่เกี่ยวเนื่อง ตลอดจนความตายและการเกิดใหม่ อีกทั้งภาวะเป็นเปรตและพิธีกรรมหลังความตาย (เอารฺธวไทหิกะ)

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जन्तूनाम्: of living beings
• जन्तूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रभव-आदिकम्: origin and the rest (etc.)
• प्रभव-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रभव-आदि-सम्बद्धम्)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम्/समुच्चयार्थ (also/likewise)

• प्रेतत्वम्: the state of being a preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• ऊर्ध्व-दैहिकम्: post-mortem rites/that which pertains to the after-body (after death)
• ऊर्ध्व-दैहिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (ऊर्ध्वं दैहिकम् = परलोकसम्बद्धं शारीरम्/कर्म)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya in the Preta Kanda narrative frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-funeral (ūrdhvadaihika) period

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beings arise, die, are reborn; between lies preta-hood, and rites for the departed—linking metaphysics with ritual duty.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as cyclic causality; karma governs transitions; ritual and knowledge function within dharma to support orderly passage.

Application: Treat death-care as a disciplined responsibility: understand stages (death → preta → rites → onward journey) and act accordingly with steadiness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: teaching lineage (rishis)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: accounts of sṛṣṭi/prabhava, mṛtyu, punarjanma, preta-lakṣaṇa, and ūrdhvadaihika/śrāddha procedures (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Rishis
• Jantus (living beings)
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of pretatva (the preta-state) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pretatva as a distinct, taught stage in the post-death journey, alongside death, rebirth, and the required rites—showing it is a key concept for understanding why specific funeral and śrāddha practices are prescribed.

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

It summarizes the doctrine: beings arise, die, may be reborn, and in between can pass through pretatva; the mention of ūrdhva-daika indicates that ritual duties are linked to stabilizing and aiding the departed during the post-death transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death rites and remembrance ceremonies as purposeful duties (dharma): perform prescribed post-funeral observances with sincerity, and live ethically so the after-death transition described (pretatva and onward journey) is supported by one’s karma.