Shloka 9

Hikkā-nidāna: Causes, Types, and the Grave Yamalā/Veginī Hiccup

Devanagari script

स्तम्भयन्ती तनुं वाचं स्मृतिं संज्ञां च मुञ्चती / तुदन्ती मार्गमाणस्य कुर्वती मर्मघट्टनम्

Transliteration

stambhayantī tanuṃ vācaṃ smṛtiṃ saṃjñāṃ ca muñcatī / tudantī mārgamāṇasya kurvatī marmaghaṭṭanam

Translation

یہ بدن اور قوتِ گفتار کو مفلوج کر دیتی ہے، یادداشت اور ہوش چھین لیتی ہے؛ راہ کے مسافر کو چھیدتی ہوئی مَرم مقامات پر ضرب لگا کر سخت اذیت پہنچاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• स्तम्भयन्ती: paralyzing/stiffening
• स्तम्भयन्ती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्तम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय/वर्तमानकृदन्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तनुम्: the body
• तनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाचम्: speech
• वाचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतिम्: memory
• स्मृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संज्ञाम्: consciousness/awareness
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• मुञ्चती: releases/lets go
• मुञ्चती: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तुदन्ती: piercing/tormenting
• तुदन्ती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √तुद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय/वर्तमानकृदन्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मार्गमाणस्य: of the one searching/seeking
• मार्गमाणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मृग्/√मार्ग् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शानच्/वर्तमानकृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मार्गयमान’ इत्यर्थे

• कुर्वती: doing/causing
• कुर्वती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय/वर्तमानकृदन्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मर्म-घट्टनम्: striking/irritation of vital points
• मर्म-घट्टनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + घट्टन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मर्मणां घट्टनम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Life’s journey is fragile; sudden affliction can strip faculties, urging preparedness, humility, and timely right action.

Vedantic Theme: Asakti-vairāgya: disidentification from body-mind faculties that can vanish; remembrance of death (maraṇa-smṛti).

Application: Treat paralysis, aphasia, amnesia, and loss of consciousness as extreme danger; prioritize immediate protection, assistance, and urgent treatment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: pathway

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.151.7-8 (Yamalā identification and severe sensory signs)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Yama (context: Yama-marga)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing Yama-mārga torments in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that the post-death journey is not merely symbolic: the preta undergoes real suffering—loss of speech, memory, and consciousness—highlighting the ethical urgency of dharma and karmic accountability.

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

It portrays the departed as a traveler on the route toward Yama’s realm, afflicted by piercing pains and blows to vital points, suggesting a vulnerable subtle-body experience shaped by prior karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and compassion to reduce harmful karma, and support dharmic death rites (e.g., śrāddha, piṇḍa-dāna) as traditional aids for the departed’s difficult passage.