Garuda Purana

अत्र दत्तं सुतैः पात्रे (त्रैः) स्नेहाद्वा कृपयाथ वा । मासिकं पिण्डमश्राति ततः सौरिपुरं व्रजेत् ॥ २,१६.

If, out of affection or compassion, the monthly offering of rice balls is given here by sons to a worthy recipient, then he proceeds to the city of Sauri.

तत्र नाम्ना तु राजा वै जङ्गमः कालरूपधृक् । तं दृष्ट्वा भयभीतस्तु विश्रामे कुरुते मतिम् ॥ २,१६.

There, the king named Jaṅgama, who assumes the form of Time, is seen. Upon seeing him, the fearful one becomes anxious and seeks rest for his mind.

उदकं चान्नसंयुक्तं भुङ्क्ते तस्मिन्पुरे गतः । त्रैपक्षिके तु यद्दत्तं तत्पुरं स व्यतिक्रमेत् ॥ २,१६.

Having entered that city, he consumes water mixed with food. Whatever is given as the tri-monthly offering, he passes through that city.

नगेन्द्रनगरे रम्ये प्रेतो याति दिवानिशम् । गच्छन्वनानि रौद्राणि दृष्ट्वा क्रन्दति तत्र सः ॥ २,१६.

In the beautiful city of Nagendra, the departed soul wanders day and night, passing through terrifying forests, and seeing them, he cries out there.

भीषणैः क्लिश्यमानस्तु रुदते च पुनः पुनः । मासद्वयावसाने तु तत्पुरं सोऽतिगच्छति ॥ २,१६.

Tormented by dreadful beings, he weeps again and again. At the end of two months, he passes beyond that city.

भुक्त्वा चान्नं जलं पीत्वा यद्दत्तं वान्धवैरिह । क्लिश्यमानस्ततः पाशैर्नोयते यमकिङ्करैः ॥ २,१६.

Having eaten food and drunk water given here by relatives, he is then afflicted by bonds and led away by the servants of Yama.

तृतीये मासि सम्प्राप्ते गन्धर्वनगरं शुभम् । तृतीयं मासिकं भुक्त्वा तत्र गच्छत्यसौ पुरः ॥ २,१६.

When the third month arrives, he reaches the auspicious city of the Gandharvas. Having consumed the third monthly offering there, he proceeds to that city.

शैलागमं चतुर्थे स मासे प्राप्नोति वै पुरम् । पाषाणास्तत्र वर्षन्ति प्रेतस्योपरि संस्थिताः ॥ २,१६.

In the fourth month, he attains the city of Śailāgama. There, stones rain down upon the departed soul who stands there.

चतुर्थमासिके श्राद्धं भुक्ते तत्र सुखी भवेत् ॥ २,१६.

After consuming the fourth monthly śrāddha offering there, he becomes happy.

ततो याति पुरं प्रेतः क्रूरं मासे तु पञ्चमे । इह दत्तं सुतैर्भुङ्क्ते प्रेतो वै तत्पुरे स्थितः । षष्ठे मासि ततः प्रेतो याति क्रौञ्चाबिधं पुरम् ॥ २,१६.

Then, in the fifth month, the departed soul goes to a cruel city. There, he consumes what is given by sons while residing in that city. In the sixth month, the departed soul then goes to the city called Krauñca.

तत्र दत्तेन पिण्डेन श्राद्धेनाप्यायितः पुरे । मुहूर्तार्धं तु विश्रम्य कम्पमानः सुदुः खितः ॥ २,१६.

There, nourished by the rice ball offering and śrāddha, he rests in the city for half a moment, trembling and greatly distressed.

तत्पुरं स व्यतिक्रम्य तर्जितो यमकिङ्करैः । प्रयाति चित्रनगरं विचित्रो यत्र पार्थिवः ॥ २,१६.

Passing beyond that city, threatened by the servants of Yama, he proceeds to the city of Citrā, where the king is extraordinary.

यमस्यैवानुजः सौरिर्यत्र राज्यं प्रशास्ति हि । मासैस्तु पञ्चभिः सार्धैरूपषाण्मासिकं भवेत् ॥ २,१६.

There, Sauri, the brother of Yama, indeed rules the kingdom. With five and a half months, the sixth monthly offering is made.

ऊनषाण्मासिकं तत्र भुङ्क्ते याम्यसमाहतः । मार्गे पुनः पुनस्तस्य बुभुक्षा पीडयत्यलम् ॥ २,१६.

There, afflicted by Yama’s servants, he consumes the incomplete sixth monthly offering. On the journey, hunger torments him again and again.

सन्तिष्ठते मृते कोऽपि मदीयः सुतबान्धवः । सौख्यं यो मे जनयति पततः शोकसागरे ॥ २,१६.

If any son or relative of mine remains after death, he brings me happiness as I fall into the ocean of sorrow.

एवं मार्गे विलपति वार्यमाणश्च किङ्करैः । आयान्ति संमुखास्तत्र कैवर्तास्तु सहस्रशः ॥ २,१६.

Thus, lamenting on the path and restrained by the servants, thousands of boatmen approach him there.

वयं ते तर्तुकामाय महावैतरणीं नदीम् । शतयोजनविस्तीर्णां पूयशोणितसंकुलाम् ॥ २,१६.

We wish to carry you across the great river Vaitaraṇī, which is a hundred yojanas wide and filled with pus and blood.

नानाझषसमाकीर्णां नानापक्षिगणैर्वृताम् । वयं त्वां तारयिष्यामः सुखेनेति वदन्ति ते ॥ २,१६.

They say, 'We will carry you across with ease, though it is filled with many kinds of fish and surrounded by flocks of various birds.'

अन्तरं देहि भो पान्थ बहुला चेद्रुचिस्तव । तेन तत्र प्रदत्ता गौस्तया नावा प्रसर्पति । मनुजानां हितं दानमन्ते वैतरणी स्मृता ॥ २,१६.

'O traveler, if your sin is great, give us space to pass; for that reason, a cow is given there, and by her, the boat moves forward. The gift made for the benefit of men is remembered at the end as Vaitarani.'

परापापं दहेत्सर्वं विष्णुलोकं च सा नयेत् । न दत्ता चेत्खगश्रेष्ठ तां समेत्य समज्जति ॥ २,१६.

It burns away all others' sins and leads one to Vishnu's world; but if not given, O best of birds, upon reaching her, one sinks down.

स्वस्थावस्थे शरीरेऽत्र वैतरण्या व्रतं चरेत् । देया च विदुषे धेनुस्तां नदीं तर्तुमिच्छता ॥ २,१६.

While the body is still healthy here, one should undertake the vow of Vaitarani; and one who wishes to cross that river should give a cow to a learned person.

अवदन्मज्जमानस्तु निन्दत्यात्मानमात्मना । पाथेयार्थं मया किञ्चिन्न प्रदत्तं द्विजायच ॥ २,१६.

But as he sinks, he blames himself, saying, 'I did not give anything for provisions, nor did I give to a Brahmin.'

न दत्तं न हुतं जप्तं न स्नातं न कृतं स्तुतम् । यादृशं कर्म चरितं मूढ भुङ्क्ष्वेति तादृशम् ॥ २,१६.

'I did not give, nor offer oblations, nor recite, nor bathe, nor perform praise; whatever deeds I have done, O fool, you must now endure their results.'

तदैव हृदि संमूढस्ताडितो भाषते भटैः । वैतरण्याः परतटे भुङ्क्ते दत्तं घटादिकम् ॥ २,१६.

Then, bewildered in his heart and struck by the attendants, he speaks; on the far shore of Vaitarani, he enjoys whatever was given, even a pot or the like.

ऊनषाण्मासिकश्राद्धं भुक्त्वा गच्छति चाग्रतः । तार्क्ष्य तत्र विशेषेण भोजयीत द्विजाञ्छुभान् ॥ २,१६.

Having eaten the offering of the incomplete six-month śrāddha, he goes forward; O Tārkṣya, there especially, one should feed worthy Brahmins.

चत्वारिंशत्तथा सप्त योजनानि शतद्वयम् । प्रयाति प्रत्यहं तार्क्ष्य अहोरात्रेण कर्शितः ॥ २,१६.

He travels, O Tārkṣya, forty-seven and two hundred yojanas each day, exhausted by day and night.

सप्तमे मासि सम्प्राप्ते पुरं बह्वापदं व्रजेत् । तत्र भुक्त्व प्रदत्तं यच्छ्राद्धं सप्तममासिकम् ॥ २,१६.

When the seventh month arrives, he reaches the city of many dangers; there, having eaten the śrāddha offered for the seventh month, he proceeds.

अष्टमे मासि सम्प्राप्ते नानाक्रन्दपुरं व्रजेत् । नानाक्रन्दगणान्दृष्ट्वा क्रन्दमानान्सुदारुणम् ॥ २,१६.

When the eighth month arrives, he reaches the city of many cries; seeing the hosts of wailing beings, crying terribly.

स्वयं च शून्यहृदयः समाक्रन्दति दुः खितः । तन्मासिकं च यच्छ्राद्धं भुक्त्वा तत्र सुखी भवेत् ॥ २,१६.

He himself, with an empty heart, cries out in distress; but having eaten the monthly śrāddha offered there, he becomes happy.