The Extent and Description of Yamaloka

Verse 1 (garuda.2.33.1)

गरुड उवाच । उत्पत्तिलक्षणं जन्तोः कथितं मयि पुत्त्रके । यमलोकः कियन्मात्रस्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । विस्तरं तस्य मे ब्रूहि अध्वा चैव कियान् स्मृतः

garuḍa uvāca utpattilakṣaṇaṁ jantoḥ kathitaṁ mayi puttrake yamalokaḥ kiyanmātrastrailokye sacarācare vistaraṁ tasya me brūhi adhvā caiva kiyān smṛtaḥ

Garuda said: "The nature of a being's origin has been told to me, dear one. Tell me how vast Yamaloka is within the three worlds together with all that moves and does not move, and how long is its road said to be?"

Verse 2 (garuda.2.33.2)

कैश्च पापैः कृतैर्देव केन वा शुभकर्मणा । गच्छन्ति मानवास्तत्र कथयस्व विशेषतः

kaiśca pāpaiḥ kṛtairdeva kena vā śubhakarmaṇā gacchanti mānavāstatra kathayasva viśeṣataḥ

"O God, by what sins committed, or by what good deed, do men go there? Tell me this in particular."

Verse 3 (garuda.2.33.3)

श्रीभगवानुवाच । षटशीतिसहस्राणि योजनानां प्रमाणतः । यमलोकस्य चाध्वानमन्तरा मानुषस्य च

śrībhagavānuvāca ṣaṭaśītisahasrāṇi yojanānāṁ pramāṇataḥ yamalokasya cādhvānamantarā mānuṣasya ca

Shri Bhagavan said: "Eighty-six thousand yojanas in measure is the distance of Yamaloka's road from the world of men."

Verse 4 (garuda.2.33.4)

ध्मातताम्रमिवातप्तो ज्वलद्दुर्गो महापथः । तत्र गच्छन्ति पापिष्ठा मानवा मूढचेतसः

dhmātatāmramivātapto jvaladdurgo mahāpathaḥ tatra gacchanti pāpiṣṭhā mānavā mūḍhacetasaḥ

"It is a great road, hot as smelted copper, blazing and impassable; there travel men most sinful and deluded in mind."

Verse 5 (garuda.2.33.5)

कण्टकाश्च सुतीक्ष्णा वै विविधा घोरदर्शनाः । तैस्तुवालुक्षितिर्व्याप्ता हुताशश्च तथोल्बणः

kaṇṭakāśca sutīkṣṇā vai vividhā ghoradarśanāḥ taistuvālukṣitirvyāptā hutāśaśca tatholbaṇaḥ

"Very sharp thorns of many terrible kinds cover that sandy ground, and fierce fire besides."

Verse 6 (garuda.2.33.6)

वृक्षच्छाया न तत्रास्ति यत्र विश्रमते नरः । गृहीतः कालपाशैश्च कृतैः कर्मभिरुल्बणैः

vṛkṣacchāyā na tatrāsti yatra viśramate naraḥ gṛhītaḥ kālapāśaiśca kṛtaiḥ karmabhirulbaṇaiḥ

"There is no shade of a tree anywhere there for a man to rest; he is held fast in the nooses of death, forged by his own terrible deeds."

Verse 7 (garuda.2.33.7)

तस्मिन्मार्गे न चान्नाद्यं येन प्राणान् प्रपोषयेत् । न जलं दृश्यते तत्र तृषा येन विलीयते

tasminmārge na cānnādyaṁ yena prāṇān prapoṣayet na jalaṁ dṛśyate tatra tṛṣā yena vilīyate

"On that road there is no food by which the life-breath might be sustained, nor is any water seen there to quench thirst."

Verse 8 (garuda.2.33.8)

क्षुधया पीडितो याति तृष्णया च महापथे । शीतेन कम्पते क्वापि यममार्गेऽतिदुर्गमे

kṣudhayā pīḍito yāti tṛṣṇayā ca mahāpathe śītena kampate kvāpi yamamārge'tidurgame

"He travels that great road afflicted by hunger and thirst; somewhere on that most difficult road of Yama he shivers with cold."

Verse 9 (garuda.2.33.9)

यद्यस्य यादृशं पापं स पन्थास्तस्य तादृशः । सुदीनाः कृपणा मूढा दुः खैर्व्याप्तास्तरन्ति तम्

yadyasya yādṛśaṁ pāpaṁ sa panthāstasya tādṛśaḥ sudīnāḥ kṛpaṇā mūḍhā duḥ khairvyāptāstaranti tam

"Whatever sin belongs to a man, such is his road; the utterly wretched, the miserly, the deluded, overwhelmed with sorrows, cross through it."

Verse 10 (garuda.2.33.10)

रुदन्ति दारुणं केचित्केचिद्द्रोहं वदन्ति च । आत्मकर्मकृतैर्देषैः पच्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः

rudanti dāruṇaṁ kecitkeciddrohaṁ vadanti ca ātmakarmakṛtairdeṣaiḥ pacyamānā muhurmuhuḥ

"Some weep terribly, some cry out in accusation, cooked again and again by the faults born of their own deeds."

Verse 11 (garuda.2.33.11)

ईदृग्विधः स वै पन्था विज्ञेयो दारुणः खग । वितृष्णा ये नरा लोके सुखं तस्मिन् व्रजन्ति ते

īdṛgvidhaḥ sa vai panthā vijñeyo dāruṇaḥ khaga vitṛṣṇā ye narā loke sukhaṁ tasmin vrajanti te

"O bird, such is that terrible road to be known; but those men in the world who are free of craving travel it happily."

Verse 12 (garuda.2.33.12)

यानियानि च दानानि दत्तानि भुवि मानवैः । तानितान्युपतिष्ठन्ति यमलोके पुरः पथि

yāniyāni ca dānāni dattāni bhuvi mānavaiḥ tānitānyupatiṣṭhanti yamaloke puraḥ pathi

"Whatever gifts have been given by men upon the earth, those very gifts stand waiting ahead of them on the road to Yamaloka."

Verse 13 (garuda.2.33.13)

पापिनो नोपतिष्ठन्ति दाहश्राद्धजलाञ्जलि । भ्रमन्ति वायुभूतास्ते ये क्षुद्राः पापकर्मिणः

pāpino nopatiṣṭhanti dāhaśrāddhajalāñjali bhramanti vāyubhūtāste ye kṣudrāḥ pāpakarmiṇaḥ

"For sinners, the offerings of the cremation-shraddha and water-libations are not there waiting; those base, sinful ones wander about as mere beings of wind."

Verse 14 (garuda.2.33.14)

ईदृशं वर्त्म तद्रौद्रं कथितं तव सुव्रत । पुनश्च कथयिष्यामि यममार्गस्य या स्थितिः

īdṛśaṁ vartma tadraudraṁ kathitaṁ tava suvrata punaśca kathayiṣyāmi yamamārgasya yā sthitiḥ

"Such, O virtuous one, is that terrible road, told to you; now I shall tell further of the layout of Yama's road."

Verse 15 (garuda.2.33.15)

याम्यनैरृतयोर्मध्ये पुरं वैवस्वतस्य तु । सर्वं वज्रमयं दिव्यमभेद्यं तत्सुरासुरैः

yāmyanairṛtayormadhye puraṁ vaivasvatasya tu sarvaṁ vajramayaṁ divyamabhedyaṁ tatsurāsuraiḥ

"Between the south and the southwest lies the city of Vaivasvata, Yama; it is made wholly of diamond, divine, unbreakable even by gods and demons."

Verse 16 (garuda.2.33.16)

चतुरश्रं चतुर्द्वारं सप्तप्राकारतोरणम् । स्वयं तिष्ठति वै यस्यां यमो दूतैः समन्वितः

caturaśraṁ caturdvāraṁ saptaprākāratoraṇam svayaṁ tiṣṭhati vai yasyāṁ yamo dūtaiḥ samanvitaḥ

"Four-cornered, with four gates, furnished with seven ramparts and archways — there Yama himself abides, together with his messengers."

Verse 17 (garuda.2.33.17)

योजनानां सहस्रं वै प्रमाणेन तदुच्यते । सर्वरत्नमयं दिव्यं विद्युज्ज्वालार्कतैजसम्

yojanānāṁ sahasraṁ vai pramāṇena taducyate sarvaratnamayaṁ divyaṁ vidyujjvālārkataijasam

"It is said to measure a thousand yojanas; made entirely of jewels, divine, radiant as a flash of lightning or the sun."

Verse 18 (garuda.2.33.18)

तद्गुहं धर्मराजस्य विस्तीर्णं काञ्चनप्रभम् । योजनानां पञ्चशतप्रमाणेन समुच्छ्रितम्

tadguhaṁ dharmarājasya vistīrṇaṁ kāñcanaprabham yojanānāṁ pañcaśatapramāṇena samucchritam

"That mansion of the King of Dharma is vast, gleaming like gold, rising five hundred yojanas high."

Verse 19 (garuda.2.33.19)

वृतं स्तम्भसहस्रैस्तु वैदूर्यमणिमण्डितम् । मुक्ताजालगवाक्षं च पताकाशतभूषितम्

vṛtaṁ stambhasahasraistu vaidūryamaṇimaṇḍitam muktājālagavākṣaṁ ca patākāśatabhūṣitam

"Surrounded by a thousand pillars and adorned with cat's-eye gems, its windows latticed with pearls, decked with hundreds of banners."

Verse 20 (garuda.2.33.20)

घण्टाशतनिनादाढ्यं तोरणानां शतैर्वृतम् । एवमादिभिरन्यैश्च भूषणैर्भूषितं सदा

ghaṇṭāśataninādāḍhyaṁ toraṇānāṁ śatairvṛtam evamādibhiranyaiśca bhūṣaṇairbhūṣitaṁ sadā

"Rich with the ringing of hundreds of bells, ringed by hundreds of archways, and adorned besides with every such other ornament."

Verse 21 (garuda.2.33.21)

तत्रस्थो भगवान् धर्म आसने तु समे शुभे । दशयो जनविस्तीर्णे नीलजीमूतसन्निभे

tatrastho bhagavān dharma āsane tu same śubhe daśayo janavistīrṇe nīlajīmūtasannibhe

"There the Lord Dharma is seated upon a level, auspicious throne, ten yojanas wide, resembling a dark blue cloud."

Verse 22 (garuda.2.33.22)

धर्मज्ञो धर्मशीलश्च धर्मयुक्तो हितो यमः । भयदः पापयुक्तानां धार्मिकाणां सुखप्रदः

dharmajño dharmaśīlaśca dharmayukto hito yamaḥ bhayadaḥ pāpayuktānāṁ dhārmikāṇāṁ sukhapradaḥ

"Yama, knower of dharma, of righteous conduct, devoted to dharma, benevolent, is a source of terror for sinners and of happiness for the righteous."

Verse 23 (garuda.2.33.23)

मन्दमारु तसंयोगैरुत्सवैर्विविधैस्तथा । व्याख्यानैर्विविधैर्युक्तः शङ्खवादित्रनिः स्वनैः

mandamāru tasaṁyogairutsavairvividhaistathā vyākhyānairvividhairyuktaḥ śaṅkhavāditraniḥ svanaiḥ

"That abode is filled with gentle breezes, with manifold festivities, with manifold discourses, and with the sounds of conches and instruments."

Verse 24 (garuda.2.33.24)

पुरमध्यप्रवेशे तु चित्रगुप्तस्य वै गृहम् । पञ्चविंशतिसंख्यानां योजनानां सुविस्तरम्

puramadhyapraveśe tu citraguptasya vai gṛham pañcaviṁśatisaṁkhyānāṁ yojanānāṁ suvistaram

"Upon entering the middle of that city stands the house of Chitragupta, spread over twenty-five yojanas."

Verse 25 (garuda.2.33.25)

दशोच्छ्रितं महादिव्यं लोहप्राकारवोष्टितम् । प्रतोलीशतसंचारं पतताकाशतशोभितम्

daśocchritaṁ mahādivyaṁ lohaprākāravoṣṭitam pratolīśatasaṁcāraṁ patatākāśataśobhitam

"Ten yojanas high, greatly divine, ringed by a wall of iron, with a hundred great avenues, adorned with a hundred banners."

Verse 26 (garuda.2.33.26)

दीपिकाशतसङ्कीर्णं गीतध्वनिसमाकुलम् । विचित्रचित्रकुशलैश्चित्रगुप्तस्य वै गृहम्

dīpikāśatasaṅkīrṇaṁ gītadhvanisamākulam vicitracitrakuśalaiścitraguptasya vai gṛham

"Crowded with a hundred lamps, filled with the sound of song, painted with wondrous pictures by skilled artists — such is the house of Chitragupta."

Verse 27 (garuda.2.33.27)

मणिमुक्तामये दिव्ये आसने परमाद्भुते । तत्रस्थो गणयत्यायुर्मानुषेष्वितरेषु च

maṇimuktāmaye divye āsane paramādbhute tatrastho gaṇayatyāyurmānuṣeṣvitareṣu ca

"Seated upon a supremely wondrous divine throne made of jewels and pearls, he reckons the lifespan of men and of every other being there."

Verse 28 (garuda.2.33.28)

न मुह्यति कदाचित्स सुकृते दुष्कृतेऽपि वा । यद्येनोपार्जितं यावत्तावद्वै वेत्ति तस्य तत्

na muhyati kadācitsa sukṛte duṣkṛte'pi vā yadyenopārjitaṁ yāvattāvadvai vetti tasya tat

"He is never confused, whether in matters of good deeds or bad; whatever anyone has earned, to whatever degree, he knows it exactly."

Verse 29 (garuda.2.33.29)

दशाष्टदोषरहितं कृत कर्म लिखत्यसौ । चित्रगुप्तालयाताच्यां ज्वरस्यास्ति महागृहम्

daśāṣṭadoṣarahitaṁ kṛta karma likhatyasau citraguptālayātācyāṁ jvarasyāsti mahāgṛham

"He records every deed done, free from the eighteen faults of error. Near the house of Chitragupta stands the great mansion of Fever."

Verse 30 (garuda.2.33.30)

दक्षिणे चापि शूलस्य लताविस्फोटकस्य च । पश्चिमे काल पाशस्य अजीर्णस्यारुचेस्तथा

dakṣiṇe cāpi śūlasya latāvisphoṭakasya ca paścime kāla pāśasya ajīrṇasyārucestathā

"To the south, the mansion of colic pain and of eruptive pox; to the west, of the noose of death, of indigestion, and of loss of appetite."

Verse 31 (garuda.2.33.31)

मध्यपीठोत्तरे ज्ञेयो तथा चान्या विषचिका । ऐशन्यां वै शिरोऽर्तिश्च आग्नेय्याञ्चैव मृकता

madhyapīṭhottare jñeyo tathā cānyā viṣacikā aiśanyāṁ vai śiro'rtiśca āgneyyāñcaiva mṛkatā

"To the north of the central seat one should know the mansion of cholera; in the northeast, of headache; and in the southeast, of muteness and deafness."

Verse 32 (garuda.2.33.32)

अतिसारश्च नैरृत्यां वायव्यां दाहसंज्ञकः । एभिः परिवृतो नित्यं चित्रगुप्तः स तिष्ठति

atisāraśca nairṛtyāṁ vāyavyāṁ dāhasaṁjñakaḥ ebhiḥ parivṛto nityaṁ citraguptaḥ sa tiṣṭhati

"In the southwest, dysentery; in the northwest, the malady called burning fever — surrounded always by these, Chitragupta abides."

Verse 33 (garuda.2.33.33)

यत्कर्म कुरुते कश्चित्तत्सर्वं विलखत्यसौ । धर्मराजगृहद्वारि दूतास्तार्क्ष्य तथा निशि । तिष्ठन्ति पापकर्माणः पच्यमाना नराधमाः

yatkarma kurute kaścittatsarvaṁ vilakhatyasau dharmarājagṛhadvāri dūtāstārkṣya tathā niśi tiṣṭhanti pāpakarmāṇaḥ pacyamānā narādhamāḥ

"Whatever deed anyone does, he records it all. O Tarkshya, at the gate of the King of Dharma's mansion, by day and even by night, the messengers stand watch; there sinful, base men are ever being cooked."

Verse 34 (garuda.2.33.34)

यमदूतैर्महापाशैर्हन्यमानाश्च मुद्गरैः । वध्यन्ते विविधैः पापैः पूर्वकर्मकृतैर्नराः

yamadūtairmahāpāśairhanyamānāśca mudgaraiḥ vadhyante vividhaiḥ pāpaiḥ pūrvakarmakṛtairnarāḥ

"Bound by Yama's messengers with great nooses and beaten with clubs, men are punished according to the various sins committed in former births."

Verse 35 (garuda.2.33.35)

नानाप्रहारणाग्रैश्च नानायन्त्रैस्तथा परे । छिद्यन्ते पापकर्माणः क्रकचैः काष्ठवद्द्विधा

nānāprahāraṇāgraiśca nānāyantraistathā pare chidyante pāpakarmāṇaḥ krakacaiḥ kāṣṭhavaddvidhā

"With various sharp weapons and various instruments, sinners are sawn in two like blocks of wood."

Verse 36 (garuda.2.33.36)

अन्ये ज्वलद्भिरङ्गारैर्वेष्टिताः परितो भृशम् । पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन ध्मायन्ते लोहपिण्डवत्

anye jvaladbhiraṅgārairveṣṭitāḥ parito bhṛśam pūrvakarmavipākena dhmāyante lohapiṇḍavat

"Others, surrounded on every side by blazing embers, are blown upon like a lump of iron, through the ripening of their former deeds."

Verse 37 (garuda.2.33.37)

क्षिप्त्वान्ये च धरापृष्ठे कुठारेणावकर्तिताः । क्रन्दमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते पूर्वकर्मविपाकतः

kṣiptvānye ca dharāpṛṣṭhe kuṭhāreṇāvakartitāḥ krandamānāśca dṛśyante pūrvakarmavipākataḥ

"Others, cast down upon the ground, are hacked with an axe; they are seen wailing, as the fruit of their former deeds."

Verse 38 (garuda.2.33.38)

केचिद्गुडमयैः पाकैस्तैलपाकैस्तथा परे । पीड्यन्ते यमदूतैश्च पापिष्ठाः सुभृशं नराः

kecidguḍamayaiḥ pākaistailapākaistathā pare pīḍyante yamadūtaiśca pāpiṣṭhāḥ subhṛśaṁ narāḥ

"Some sinful men are severely tormented by Yama's messengers in boiling molasses and in boiling oil."

Verse 39 (garuda.2.33.39)

क्षणाह्नि प्रार्थयन्त्यन्ये देहिदेहीति कोटिशः । यमलोके मया दृष्टा ममस्वं भक्षितं त्वया

kṣaṇāhni prārthayantyanye dehidehīti koṭiśaḥ yamaloke mayā dṛṣṭā mamasvaṁ bhakṣitaṁ tvayā

"Others, moment by moment, beg millions of times, crying 'Give, give!' I have seen in Yamaloka one saying, 'You devoured what was mine.'"

Verse 40 (garuda.2.33.40)

इत्येवं बहुशस्तार्क्ष्य नरकाः पापिनां स्मृताः । कर्मभिर्बहुभिः प्रोक्तैः सर्वशास्त्रेषु भाषितैः । दानोपकारं वक्ष्यामि यथा तत्र सुखं भवेत्

ityevaṁ bahuśastārkṣya narakāḥ pāpināṁ smṛtāḥ karmabhirbahubhiḥ proktaiḥ sarvaśāstreṣu bhāṣitaiḥ dānopakāraṁ vakṣyāmi yathā tatra sukhaṁ bhavet

"Thus, O Tarkshya, many hells for sinners have been recorded, corresponding to the many deeds spoken of in all the scriptures. I shall now tell of the benefit of giving, by which happiness may be gained even there."