Shloka 45

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

तदैव नीयते द्वतैर्याम्यैर्वोक्षन्स्वकं गृहम् / भूय एव हिते तात मृत्युकालदशामिमाम्

Transliteration

tadaiva nīyate dvatairyāmyairvokṣansvakaṃ gṛham / bhūya eva hite tāta mṛtyukāladaśāmimām

Translation

اسی لمحے یم کے دوت اسے پکڑ کر اپنے دھام کی طرف لے جاتے ہیں۔ اے عزیز، تمہاری بھلائی کے لیے میں پھر موت کے وقت کی اس حالت کا بیان کرتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

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

• नीयते: is led/is taken
• नीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• द्वतैः: by the messengers/attendants
• द्वतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental 3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• याम्यैः: by Yama’s (agents)
• याम्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental 3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying) द्वतैः

• वोक्षन्: carrying/leading
• वोक्षन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (agent-participle)

• स्वकम्: one’s own
• स्वकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative 2nd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying) गृहम्

• गृहम्: house/home
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative 2nd), एकवचनम्

• भूयः: again/further
• भूयः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/further)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• हिते: in (your) welfare/for your good
• हिते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative 7th), एकवचनम्; (हिते = हितविषये)

• तात: dear one/father
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• मृत्युकालदशाम्: the condition/state at the time of death
• मृत्युकालदशाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + दशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative 2nd), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्युकालस्य दशा)

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative 2nd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying) दशाम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At death the jīva is taken by Yama’s messengers toward Yama’s realm; the death-state is a consequential passage shaped by karmic law.

Vedantic Theme: Jīva’s transmigration under karma; impermanence of embodiment; moral causality operating beyond death.

Application: Live with awareness of death and accountability; cultivate dharma and remembrance of the divine to face the transition without panic.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: divine court/abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of Yamadūtas, the soul’s seizure and journey (nearby adhyāyas on death-signs and the path to Yamaloka); Garuda Purana: Yama’s court and judgment narratives in Pretakalpa sections

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama’s messengers in the Garuda Purana’s description of death?

This verse highlights the immediate transition at death, where Yama’s agents take charge of the departing being, signaling the beginning of post-death judgment and the soul’s onward journey.

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

It states that the being is led away at once by Yama’s messengers toward Yama’s domain, framing death as a prompt transfer into the after-death administration of karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and accountability: the verse encourages ethical conduct and preparedness for death, since the consequences of actions are faced immediately after life ends.