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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 12

Arrival at Yama’s cities: Citragupta’s scrutiny, Dharmadhvaja’s gate, and the necessity of dāna

Devanagari script

पचन्ति पापिनं प्राप्य उदके यातनाकराः / गृह्णन्ति मासमासान्ते पादशेषं तु तद्भवेत्

Transliteration

pacanti pāpinaṃ prāpya udake yātanākarāḥ / gṛhṇanti māsamāsānte pādaśeṣaṃ tu tadbhavet

Translation

عذاب دینے والے پاپی کو پکڑ کر پانی میں ابالتے ہیں؛ ہر مہینے کے آخر میں وہ (اس کا ایک حصہ) لے لیتے ہیں اور اس میں صرف چوتھائی حصہ باقی رہ جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word
पचन्तिthey cook/boil
पचन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपच् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
पापिनम्the sinner
पापिनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
प्राप्यhaving obtained/reached
प्राप्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया
उदकेin water
उदके:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउदक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
यातनाकराःtorturers (agents of torment)
यातनाकराः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयातना (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यातनायाः कराः/कर्तारः)
गृह्णन्तिthey seize/take
गृह्णन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
मासमासान्तेat the end of each month
मासमासान्ते:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमास (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार/अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयोगः; अर्थतः 'मासस्य मासस्य अन्ते' (at the end of each month)
पादशेषम्the remainder of a quarter
पादशेषम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद (प्रातिपदिक) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पादस्य शेषः)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधानार्थक निपात
तत्that
तत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
भवेत्would be / may become
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe pāpa yields proportionate yātanā; time itself becomes an instrument of retribution (monthly cycles of depletion).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as experiential consequence in subtle realms; saṃsāra’s suffering as impetus for dharma and purification.

Application: Avoid grievous harms and exploitations; undertake prāyaścitta, charity, and restraint; cultivate compassion to prevent actions that ripen into such suffering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: torture chamber/cauldron setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: multiple yātanā descriptions (boiling, cutting, burning) across naraka narratives; Adjacent verses: guards (2.19.11) and aurdhvadaihika dāna/relief measures (2.19.13)

Characters & Entities
Y
Yama
Y
Yamadutas

FAQs

This verse uses vivid consequences to deter pāpa (sinful action) and reinforce karma: actions create inevitable results experienced after death under Yama’s order.

It situates the post-death journey within Yama’s jurisdiction, where Yamadūtas administer yātanā (torments) to the sinful jīva, indicating a moral-judicial afterlife sequence.

Treat it as an ethical warning: reduce harm, deceit, and exploitation, and adopt dharmic conduct and repentance to avoid creating heavy pāpa-karma.

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