Shloka 28

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

सप्तभ्यो यमसंज्ञेभ्यो दद्यात्सप्त जलाञ्जलीन् / यमाय धर्मराजाय मृत्यवे चान्तकाय च

Transliteration

saptabhyo yamasaṃjñebhyo dadyātsapta jalāñjalīn / yamāya dharmarājāya mṛtyave cāntakāya ca

Translation

یَم کے نام والے سات روپوں کے لیے سات جل اَنجلیاں دے—یَم کو، دھرم راج کو، مرتیو کو اور اَنتک کو بھی۔

Word by Word

• सप्तभ्यः: to the seven
• सप्तभ्यः: Sampradana (recipient group)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी (5th/4th; here Dative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (यमसंज्ञेभ्यः)

• यमसंज्ञेभ्यः: to those named ‘Yama’ (Yama-designated)
• यमसंज्ञेभ्यः: Sampradana (recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यम + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य संज्ञा येषाम्)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Karma (object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जलाञ्जलीन्)

• जलाञ्जलीन्: handful-offerings of water
• जलाञ्जलीन्: Karma (object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य अञ्जलिः)

• यमाय: to Yama
• यमाय: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• धर्मराजाय: to the king of Dharma
• धर्मराजाय: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य राजा)

• मृत्यवे: to Death
• मृत्यवे: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• अन्तकाय: to Antaka (the ender)
• अन्तकाय: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During funeral/śrāddha sequence as jalāñjali (water-offering)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognition of cosmic moral governance: Yama’s multiple epithets represent facets of death and justice; offerings align the rite with that order.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-niyati (divine order) operating through dharma; acceptance of mortality within a lawful cosmos.

Application: Perform water-offerings with correct intention and naming; cultivate accountability and ethical living under the awareness of dharma’s oversight.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ritual site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8.29 (continuation of Yama-epithets and sevenfold offering); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama’s role in adjudication

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharmaraja
• Mrityu
• Antaka

FAQs

What is the importance of offering jalāñjali to Yama in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes a specific death-rite act—offering seven water-libations to Yama’s named forms—signaling ritual acknowledgment of Death’s cosmic order and seeking orderly passage for post-death transitions.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

By directing offerings to Yama and his epithets (Dharmarāja, Mṛtyu, Antaka), the text situates the departed within Yama’s jurisdiction of dharma and post-mortem accountability, reinforcing that the afterlife journey is governed by moral law.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages mindful performance of traditional remembrance/obsequial rites (where culturally practiced) and, ethically, reminds one to live under dharma—since “Dharmarāja” implies that actions have consequences.