Shloka 91

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

जातस्य मृत्युलोके वै प्राणिनो मरणं ध्रुवम् / पापिष्ठानामदोमार्गाज्जीवो निष्क्रमते ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

jātasya mṛtyuloke vai prāṇino maraṇaṃ dhruvam / pāpiṣṭhānāmadomārgājjīvo niṣkramate dhruvam

Translation

موت کے لوک میں پیدا ہونے والے جاندار کے لیے موت یقینی ہے؛ اور نہایت گناہگاروں کی روح یقیناً ‘ادھو مارگ’ یعنی نچلے راستے سے نکلتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• जातस्य: of the born (being)
• जातस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of one who is born’

• मृत्यु-लोके: in the world of death (mortal world)
• मृत्यु-लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः लोकः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis/indeed)

• प्राणिनः: of a living being
• प्राणिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certain, inevitable
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मरणम्)

• पापिष्ठानाम्: of the most sinful
• पापिष्ठानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + इष्ठन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जीवानाम्—implicit)

• अदो-मार्गात्: from that path
• अदो-मार्गात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अस्मात्/अदः-मार्गः)

• जीवः: the soul/living being
• जीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निष्क्रमते: departs, goes out
• निष्क्रमते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रम् (धातु) उपसर्गः निस्/निः-
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (certainly)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Death is inevitable; grievous sin shapes a degraded departure-route for the jīva.

Vedantic Theme: Impermanence (anityatā) and moral causality governing post-mortem transition.

Application: Live with death-awareness; avoid harmful actions; cultivate remembrance of Hari and ethical restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic threshold/pathway

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: adho-mārga/ūrdhva-mārga discussions and sinful departures (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Jiva

FAQs

What is the importance of the certainty of death in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes death as unavoidable for all born beings, urging urgency in dharma and purification so the soul’s post-death journey is not degraded by sin.

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

It distinguishes outcomes by karma: while death is universal, the most sinful are said to exit and proceed via an ‘adho-mārga’—a lower, unfavorable route associated with painful post-death experiences described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness of impermanence: reduce harmful actions, practice ethical restraint, and perform dharmic duties so one’s end-of-life transition is guided by merit rather than heavy pāpa.