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Shloka 20

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

तेषु द्वौद्वावगृह्णीतामस्य हस्तावथापरे / द्वौद्वौ पादावगृह्णीतां मूर्धानं पञ्चमो ऽग्रहीत्

Transliteration

teṣu dvaudvāvagṛhṇītāmasya hastāvathāpare / dvaudvau pādāvagṛhṇītāṃ mūrdhānaṃ pañcamo 'grahīt

Translation

ان میں سے دو نے اس کے ہاتھ پکڑ لیے، اور دو اوروں نے بھی اسی طرح؛ دو نے اس کے پاؤں تھام لیے، اور پانچویں نے اس کا سر جکڑ لیا۔

Word by Word
तेषुamong them
तेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम
द्वौtwo
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्; संख्यावाचक
द्वौtwo (each pair)
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्; संख्यावाचक (पुनरुक्ति—‘two and two’)
अगृह्णीताम्the two seized/held
अगृह्णीताम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव+ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्
अस्यof him/this one’s
अस्य:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम
हस्तौ(his) two hands
हस्तौ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootहस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), द्विवचनम्
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and)
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्
द्वौtwo
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्
द्वौtwo (each pair)
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति
पादौ(his) two feet
पादौ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), द्विवचनम्
अगृह्णीताम्the two seized
अगृह्णीताम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव+ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्
मूर्धानम्the head
मूर्धानम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्
पञ्चमःthe fifth (one)
पञ्चमः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक
अग्रहीत्seized
अग्रहीत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ+ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु)
Formलुङ्-लकारः (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment entails vulnerability; when protective merit/support is absent, one can be overpowered by hostile forces.

Vedantic Theme: Dehābhimāna (identification with the body) meets its limit; the body is an object that can be seized and controlled.

Application: Strengthen protective disciplines—ethical living, supportive networks, and devotional remembrance—so one is not ‘seized’ by impulses/hostile influences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: forest/wilderness

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana descriptions of beings binding/dragging victims (general motif in fear narratives)

Characters & Entities
Y
Yama's attendants (Yamadutas)

FAQs

This verse highlights their role as executors of Yama’s order—physically restraining and taking the departed onward in the post-death sequence described in the Preta Kanda.

It depicts the immediate, forceful transition: multiple attendants restrain the deceased (hands, feet, and head), indicating removal from ordinary bodily autonomy and the beginning of the escorted journey after death.

It serves as a reminder of life’s impermanence—encouraging dharmic conduct, timely repentance, and proper death-rites awareness (e.g., śrāddha and piṇḍa offerings) as taught in the Garuda Purana.

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