Shloka 44

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

ऋषयः सर्वमेवैतज्जन्तूनां प्रभवादिकम् / मरणं जन्म च तथा प्रेतत्वञ्चौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

ṛṣayaḥ sarvamevaitajjantūnāṃ prabhavādikam / maraṇaṃ janma ca tathā pretatvañcaurdhvadaihikam

Translation

رِشیوں نے یہ سب کچھ پوری طرح بتایا ہے—جانداروں کی پیدائش وغیرہ، نیز موت اور جنم، اور پریت ہونے کی حالت اور اُردھودیہک (شرادھ وغیرہ) کرم بھی۔

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जन्तूनाम्: of living beings
• जन्तूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रभव-आदिकम्: origin and the rest (etc.)
• प्रभव-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रभव-आदि-सम्बद्धम्)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम्/समुच्चयार्थ (also/likewise)

• प्रेतत्वम्: the state of being a preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• ऊर्ध्व-दैहिकम्: post-mortem rites/that which pertains to the after-body (after death)
• ऊर्ध्व-दैहिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (ऊर्ध्वं दैहिकम् = परलोकसम्बद्धं शारीरम्/कर्म)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya in the Preta Kanda narrative frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-funeral (ūrdhvadaihika) period

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beings arise, die, are reborn; between lies preta-hood, and rites for the departed—linking metaphysics with ritual duty.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as cyclic causality; karma governs transitions; ritual and knowledge function within dharma to support orderly passage.

Application: Treat death-care as a disciplined responsibility: understand stages (death → preta → rites → onward journey) and act accordingly with steadiness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: teaching lineage (rishis)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: accounts of sṛṣṭi/prabhava, mṛtyu, punarjanma, preta-lakṣaṇa, and ūrdhvadaihika/śrāddha procedures (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Rishis
• Jantus (living beings)
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of pretatva (the preta-state) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pretatva as a distinct, taught stage in the post-death journey, alongside death, rebirth, and the required rites—showing it is a key concept for understanding why specific funeral and śrāddha practices are prescribed.

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

It summarizes the doctrine: beings arise, die, may be reborn, and in between can pass through pretatva; the mention of ūrdhva-daika indicates that ritual duties are linked to stabilizing and aiding the departed during the post-death transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death rites and remembrance ceremonies as purposeful duties (dharma): perform prescribed post-funeral observances with sincerity, and live ethically so the after-death transition described (pretatva and onward journey) is supported by one’s karma.