Shloka 44

Fruits of Occasional (Festival-Specific) Charity — The Vena Episode

Devanagari script

वाहनानि विचित्राणि यानान्येव महामते । नानागंधान्सकर्पूरं यमपंथ सुखप्रदे

Transliteration

vāhanāni vicitrāṇi yānānyeva mahāmate | nānāgaṃdhānsakarpūraṃ yamapaṃtha sukhaprade

Translation

اے عالی ہمت! طرح طرح کی عجیب سواریوں اور شاندار گاڑیوں کا ذکر ہے، جو گوناگوں خوشبوؤں اور کافور سے معمور ہیں؛ وہ یم کے راستے کو خوشگوار اور راحت بخش بنا دیتی ہیں۔

Word by Word

• वाहनानि: vehicles; mounts
• वाहनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; दान-वस्तु

• विचित्राणि: variegated; diverse
• विचित्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• यानानि: conveyances
• यानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; दान-वस्तु

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक; महा+मति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधनम्

• नानागन्धान्: various fragrances
• नानागन्धान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नानागन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; नाना+गन्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म (objects)

• सकर्पूरम्: with camphor
• सकर्पूरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक; स+कर्पूर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (with camphor)

• यमपन्थ: O (one on the) path of Yama
• यमपन्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमपन्थ (प्रातिपदिक; यम+पन्थन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधनम्

• सुखप्रदे: O giver of happiness
• सुखप्रदे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखप्रद (प्रातिपदिक; सुख+प्रद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण संबोधनम् (giver of happiness)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice addressing 'mahāmate')

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यानान्येव = यानानि + एव (इ + ए → य् ए); नानागंधान्सकर्पूरं = नानागन्धान् + सकर्पूरम् (न् + स → न्स).

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the 'path to Yama' (yamapatha) in this verse?

It refers to the post-death journey toward Yama’s realm, a common Purāṇic motif describing how beings experience the results of karma while being led to judgment or the next state.

Why are fragrances and camphor mentioned here?

Fragrance and camphor symbolize refinement, comfort, and auspiciousness—suggesting that certain souls experience a gentler, more pleasant passage, typically understood as a fruit of merit (puṇya).

What ethical teaching is implied by describing a pleasant journey after death?

The verse implies that conduct and accumulated merit shape one’s experiences after death; wholesome actions are portrayed as yielding ease and dignity even in transitional states.