Shloka 115

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

दीपस्तंभं दापयित्वा पते त्वं सूत्रं च बद्ध्वा स्वगले च भक्त्या / तदा बद्ध्वा यमदूतैश्च पाशैर्दीपस्तंभैस्ताड्यमानस्तु सम्यक्

Transliteration

dīpastaṃbhaṃ dāpayitvā pate tvaṃ sūtraṃ ca baddhvā svagale ca bhaktyā / tadā baddhvā yamadūtaiśca pāśairdīpastaṃbhaistāḍyamānastu samyak

Translation

丈夫啊，让人供奉灯台之后，出于表面的虔诚在自己的颈上系上圣线，随后你便被阎摩的使者用套索捆绑，并被灯柱狠狠地殴打。

Word by Word

• dīpastaṃbham: lamp-post / pillar with lamp
• dīpastaṃbham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa-stambha (प्रातिपदिक; दीप + स्तम्भ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dāpayitvā: having caused to give
• dāpayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु) + ṇic (causative/णिच्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), Causative sense (प्रेरणार्थ), ‘having caused (someone) to give’

• pate: O husband/lord
• pate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sūtram: thread
• sūtram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• baddhvā: having tied
• baddhvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having tied/bound’

• svagale: on (your) own neck
• svagale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-gala (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + गल)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• baddhvā: having bound
• baddhvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having bound’

• yamadūtaiḥ: by Yama’s messengers
• yamadūtaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama-dūta (प्रातिपदिक; यम + दूत)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• pāśaiḥ: with nooses
• pāśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dīpastaṃbhaiḥ: with lamp-posts/pillars
• dīpastaṃbhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa-stambha (प्रातिपदिक; दीप + स्तम्भ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tāḍyamānaḥ: being beaten
• tāḍyamānaḥ: Karma (कर्म; patient in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tāḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (वर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त/शानच्-प्रत्यय; PPPres), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात; emphasis/contrast)

• samyak: properly, thoroughly
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (रीतिवाचक अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna and external marks of devotion, when performed with deceit or wrong intent, do not avert papa; karma turns symbols into instruments of retribution.

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (inner purity) over mere external action; karma’s moral intelligence.

Application: Give with sincerity and ethical intent; avoid performative piety; align ritual acts with compassion and truthfulness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: punitive corridor/court (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna-phala and dāna-doṣa (faulty giving) motifs (general); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: instruments of punishment reflecting one’s acts (general)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of sincerity in charity and ritual in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that external acts like donating a lamp-stand or wearing a sacred thread do not protect a person if the act is done with deceit or hypocrisy; karmic accountability still follows, leading to punishment by Yamadutas.

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

It portrays the post-death judicial process under Yama: the soul is seized by Yamadutas, bound with nooses, and subjected to specific punishments that mirror the nature of one’s wrongdoing, emphasizing moral causality beyond mere ritual display.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity and religious observances with integrity—avoid using symbols of devotion as cover for unethical conduct; let visible piety match truthful behavior and responsibility.