Shloka 77

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

नारकाश्चापि ते देवान्सर्वान्पश्यन्ति ऊर्ध्वगान् / एतान्यान्यानि शतशो नरकाणि वियद्गते

Transliteration

nārakāścāpi te devānsarvānpaśyanti ūrdhvagān / etānyānyāni śataśo narakāṇi viyadgate

Translation

جہنم میں رہنے والے بھی اوپر حرکت کرتے ہوئے تمام دیوتاؤں کو دیکھتے ہیں۔ آسمان سے گزرتے ہوئے وہ ان اور سینکڑوں دیگر جہنموں کا مشاہدہ کرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• नारकाः: the hell-beings (denizens of hell)
• नारकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); ‘also’

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; नारकाः इत्यस्य विशेषण/अन्वय

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; देवान् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ऊर्ध्वगान्: moving upward/above
• ऊर्ध्वगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व + ग (प्रातिपदिक; ग = √गम् धातोः क्विप्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; देवान् इत्यस्य विशेषण—‘going upward’

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; नरकाणि इत्यस्य विशेषण

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; नरकाणि इत्यस्य विशेषण

• शतशः: by hundreds; in hundreds
• शतशः: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशः (अव्यय; शत + शस्)
• Form: परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (distributive adverb)

• नरकाणि: hells
• नरकाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• वियत्-गते: in the sky/space (in the aerial region)
• वियत्-गते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वियत् + गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √गम् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण—‘in the sky/space’; (वियत्-गते = वियति गते/स्थिते)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic destiny is not abstract: beings directly perceive higher and lower states; multiplicity of narakas reflects specificity of karmic outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Samsaric hierarchy is experiential and comparative, generating longing and fear; such contrast can awaken vairagya and discrimination.

Application: Let contemplation of comparative states (uplift vs downfall) motivate ethical reform and devotional remembrance before death.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: Cosmic transit corridor

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: soul’s journey motifs; multiplicity of narakas and their enumeration in nearby sections

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Narakas (hell realms)
• Narakastha/Nārakāḥ (hell-bound beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of seeing the Devas from naraka according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes moral contrast: even the hell-bound perceive higher divine realms above, underscoring that one’s karmic state determines one’s station—lower suffering realms versus higher divine abodes.

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

It implies a transitional passage “through the sky,” during which the departed encounter and witness multiple realms, including numerous narakas, indicating a structured cosmology of post-death destinations shaped by karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma to avoid harmful karma, and support dharmic death observances (e.g., śrāddha, piṇḍa-dāna) as reminders to cultivate merit and ethical conduct.