The Garuda Purana is one of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas in Hinduism and is considered a sacred scripture attributed to Vyasa, the legendary sage who compiled the Vedas and authored the Mahabharata. It is framed as a conversation between Lord Vishnu and his mount, Garuda, the king of birds. Throughout the Purana, Garuda asks deep spiritual questions, and Vishnu explains topics like life, death, dharma, and the afterlife.
Famous for being centered around the topic of death, the Garuda Purana is known especially for its detailed descriptions of what happens after death, the journey of the soul, signs of death, and rewards/punishments based on karma. In this article, we are going to be covering different signs of death specified in the Garuda Purana, and what these signs represent.
Introduction
Apart from the detailed descriptions of the happenings after death, the Garuda Purana also outlines the rituals to be performed after death (antyeshti) and is often recited during funerals and mourning periods, especially over 13 days following a person’s passing. It talks about how present actions influence future births, the importance of devotion, and how to attain moksha (liberation).
In essence, the Garuda Purana is not just a manual for the afterlife, it is also a guide for right living. Now, before diving into the various signs of death, the below section is going to talk about the preliminary journey of the souls after death, where they encounter the Vaitarani river.
The Vaitarani River
Descriptions of the Vaitarani river are among the most vivid and spine-chilling descriptions in the Garuda Purana. The Vaitarani is described in the Garuda Purana as a terrifying, otherworldly river that flows between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. It’s often seen as a cosmic barrier that sinful souls must cross on their way to Yama’s city.
It is mentioned that a person encounters the Vaitarani River during their post-death journey to Yama-loka, specifically after crossing several dark and dreadful terrains. It typically occurs around the sixth month after death, as part of the sinful soul’s passage along the Way of Yama. The river is not just a punishment, it’s a moral checkpoint. It marks the division between a life lived in alignment with dharma and one ruled by desire, violence, or deceit.
Characteristics of the River
This sub-section provides an overview of the different characteristics of the Vaitarani river which have been described in the Garuda Purana.
- It’s filled with blood, pus, foam, excrement, and the stench of decay.
- It is swarming with leeches, crocodiles, vultures, snakes, and flesh-eating fishes.
- It is burning with flames and covered in smoke, it boils when sinners approach, making it even more impassable
- Crossing is almost impossible unless the sinful soul had donated a black cow (Vaitarani-dāna) while alive. This cow carries the soul safely across the river.
Location of the River
After the death of a soul, on its way to Yama-Loka (city of Yama), the soul is said to travel through 16 different cities. The journey is said to take around an year. In this journey, the Vaitarani River appears midway, around the 6th city (Chitrabhavana) and the sixth month of the journey. Among the sinful souls, only those who donated a cow (Vaitarani-dāna) in life can cross safely. If not, the sinful soul falls into the river, suffering intensely before being rescued (if at all) and dragged on toward judgment. Below is an excerpt from the Garuda Purana which captures this meaning:-
“Seeing him [the soul], it seethes, seeing which he cries loudly. The sinful soul who has made no gifts verily sinks in that.” — Garuda Purana, Ch. II
Conditions For Crossing
The below table covers the three different reactions to the action of a soul entering/reaching the Vaitarani river.
| Soul Type | What Happens at Vaitarani |
|---|---|
| Righteous | Carried across in a divine boat or by a cow |
| Charitable | Cross with ease if they gave cows to Brahmins |
| Sinful | Sink into it; suffer from burns, bites, hunger |
16 Cities on the Soul’s Way to Yama-Loka
According to the Garuda Purana, the soul does not instantly arrive at its final destination after death. Instead, it embarks on a long, perilous journey to Yama-Loka, the City of the King of Justice. Along this path, it must pass through sixteen mystical and often terrifying cities, each one serving as a spiritual checkpoint and a mirror to the soul’s karma.
Below is a brief overview of the 16 different cities:
- (Saumya, The City of Calm) – In this city, the soul rests and begins reflecting on life. The soul encounters sorrow, memory of loved ones, and the first realizations of death.
- (Sauripura, The City of Saturn) – Here, the soul feels the burden of its karma. Guided by Yama’s messengers, it begins to understand the gravity of its past misdeeds.
- (Nāgendrabhavana, Abode of Serpents) – This realm represents ego, deceit, and poisonous thoughts. The soul is surrounded by serpents, symbolizing inner venom and pride.
- (Gāndharva, City of Illusion and Music) – In this city, the soul is tempted by visions of past pleasures, illusions of happiness, and memories of worldly indulgence. A test of detachment.
- (Śailāgama, Mountain of Obstacles) – A place of hardship where the soul must traverse rocky, steep terrain—symbolizing the weight of unfulfilled duties and spiritual neglect.
- (Krauncha, Mountain-City of Screams) – The soul hears the agonizing cries of others and begins to fear its own impending judgment. It is a city echoing with karmic consequences.
- (Krūrapura, City of Cruelty) – In this realm, the soul confronts the reflection of its own harshness and violence. It witnesses suffering it once inflicted on others.
- (Vichitrabhavana, The Strange Mansion) – A surreal realm filled with distorted and strange visions. The soul sees its own internal contradictions and imbalances manifested.
- (Bahwāpada, City of Many Calamities) – A city of chaos and instability, where the soul loses orientation. It is plagued by fear, uncertainty, and mental unrest.
- (Duḥkhada, Giver of Sorrow) – Here, intense sorrow weighs down the soul. It relives moments of grief it caused and internalizes the pain of regret.
- (Nānākrandapura, City of Many Cries) – A sorrowful city filled with the wails of the tormented. The soul hears the echoes of those it wronged and is overwhelmed by guilt.
- (Sutaptabhawana, The Burning Mansion) – A blazing realm symbolic of unfulfilled desires, lust, and greed. The soul suffers from intense inner heat caused by its attachments.
- (Raudra, The Fierce City) – In this city, the soul faces suppressed anger and unresolved hatred. It is confronted by the faces of those it envied, hurt, or betrayed.
- (Payovarṣana, City of Acid Rain) – A dark, polluted city where the soul is drenched in metaphorical acid rain—representing polluted thoughts and toxic memories.
- (Śītāḍhya, City of Piercing Cold) – The soul shivers in unbearable cold, symbolizing spiritual isolation, emotional numbness, and detachment from the Divine.
- (Bahubhīti, City of Many Terrors) – The final city before judgment. Here, the soul is surrounded by terrifying visions, silence, and the presence of Yama’s gatekeepers. It is a place of dread, anticipation, and ultimate vulnerability.
Now, without any further delays, below are some signs of death in Garuda Purana that have been divided into different categories for your convenience.
Preliminary Signs of Death
The Garuda Purana offers a deeply symbolic and sobering account of the signs that indicate a soul is nearing its departure from the physical body. These signs are not merely physical ailments, but spiritual signals of the soul’s impending journey—especially when it comes to those burdened by sin.
As death draws near, the body begins to fail, and the transition between the material and the metaphysical world begins. The Purana describes the following warning signs that a person is about to leave this earthly realm:
- The body becomes diseased and emaciated – Vitality begins to drain, and the person appears weak, fragile, and detached from worldly concerns.
- Breathing becomes labored – The individual suffers from intense coughing, phlegm accumulation, shortness of breath, and episodes of unconsciousness. These symptoms signify the disturbance of life-forces and a growing disconnect from prāṇa (life energy).
- Physical responses diminish – As the soul begins to loosen its grip, foam may emerge from the mouth, the eyes roll upwards, and the dying person may become non-responsive to speech or touch.
- Departure of the vital breath – The Garuda Purana emphasizes that in the case of the righteous, the soul exits through the higher gateways (like the crown of the head), while for the sinful, the life-breath escapes from the lower orifices, symbolizing a downward journey toward suffering and karmic reckoning.
- Terrifying visions appear – Perhaps the most unsettling sign is the appearance of Yama’s messengers. These fierce beings—black in color, with fiery eyes, bearing nooses and rods—arrive to seize the soul. To the dying, these messengers appear in full, terrifying clarity, visible only to the soul preparing to depart.
“When the time of death approaches, the messengers of Yama arrive with cords in their hands, eyes blazing, terrible of aspect, and harsh of speech… They seize the soul with violence and drag it out of the body.” — Garuda Purana, Ch. II
These preliminary signs serve not only as physical markers of death but also as spiritual warnings—reminding the living to walk the path of righteousness while there is still time. The process of dying, according to the Garuda Purana, is not merely the end of life but the beginning of a profound cosmic journey, influenced entirely by how one has lived.
Signs of a Righteous Death
In contrast to the agony of a sinful death, the Garuda Purana describes a righteous death as peaceful, dignified, and spiritually elevated. The soul of the righteous transitions from the body with divine support and inner clarity, surrounded by signs of grace rather than fear.
Below are the key signs of a righteous death as described in the Purana:
- Peaceful departure through higher gateways – The soul exits the body through the upper chakras, often the crown of the head, symbolizing spiritual liberation and purity of life.
- Serene physical state at death – The body shows no violent spasms. Instead, there is calmness in the breath, stillness in the limbs, and a subtle glow, indicating spiritual readiness.
- Surrounded by sacred rituals and loved ones – Family and friends chant mantras, offer holy items like tulsi leaves, Ganga water, and perform Vishnu worship, guiding the soul gently onward.
- Escorted by divine beings through higher gates – The soul is not seized by fierce Yama-dutas but is carried with reverence by celestial messengers toward Yama’s city. For entrance to the city, these souls are not escorted through the southern gateway intended for the sinful, but through the other three gates.
Signs of a Sinful Death
In stark contrast to the peaceful transition experienced by the righteous, the Garuda Purana offers a chilling account of what happens when a sinful soul departs the body. The signs of a sinful death are not only physical and emotional—they are deeply spiritual warnings, marked by pain, fear, and profound regret. These signs indicate that the soul has not lived in alignment with dharma, and is now forced to face the karmic consequences of its actions.
Below are the key signs of a sinful death as described in the Purana:
- Excruciating pain at the moment of death – The Garuda Purana states that the sinful experience pain equivalent to being stung by a hundred scorpions when the breath leaves the body. The departure of the soul is anything but peaceful—it is agonizing and violent.
- Defilement and terror upon seeing Yama’s messengers – As the moment of death approaches, the soul sees Yama-dutas, the fierce, dark messengers of Yama, carrying nooses and rods. Their terrifying appearance causes the dying person to lose control of their bowels, a sign of overwhelming fear and karmic burden.
- Violent extraction of the soul – Unlike the righteous, the sinful soul is forcibly dragged out of the body. The messengers use nooses to pull the soul through the ears, nose, and limbs, causing great suffering. On the way to Yama’s abode, the soul is whipped, beaten, and insulted, as it cries out in pain.
- Immediate karmic regret – The soul, now stripped of all ego and illusion, is filled with unbearable remorse. It regrets not having donated food or clothing, not having honored the scriptures, and for disrespecting parents, elders, and guests. These lost opportunities for virtue now become heavy chains around the soul.
- Descent through lower gateways – While the righteous ascend through higher spiritual exits, the sinful soul leaves through the lower orifices of the body, symbolizing a downward trajectory—toward suffering, hells, or undesirable rebirths.
The City of The King of Justice
The final destination in the soul’s journey after death, according to the Garuda Purana, is the City of Yama—The King of Justice. Yama, the god of death and righteousness, sits in judgment over every soul that arrives here after crossing through 16 mystical cities and the terrifying Vaitarani river. At this city, the soul faces a reckoning based on its karma. The city is said to have four gateways—Eastern, Northern, Western, and Southern—each symbolizing a different path into Yama’s realm depending on the nature of the soul’s actions in life.
Eastern Gateway
The Eastern Gateway is associated with balance, order, and purity. This gate is reserved for the spiritually evolved souls—those who lived with devotion, truth, compassion, and fulfilled all their worldly duties. The Garuda Purana describes that such souls are not dragged by Yama’s messengers but are instead led gently by divine guides. These beings are welcomed with respect, and the transition is smooth and bright.
Upon entering, they are greeted by Chitragupta, the divine record-keeper, who verifies their virtuous deeds. The soul is then either granted a place in Swarga (heaven) or is reborn into auspicious conditions that support further spiritual growth.
Northern Gateway
The Northern Gateway is accessible to those who may not be saints but lived mostly moral and pious lives. These individuals performed religious rituals, donated to the needy, respected elders, and upheld dharma in daily living. They might have committed minor sins, but their overall life balance was tilted toward righteousness.
Through this gate, the soul’s karma is weighed in a balanced manner. If penances, repentance, or charitable actions outweighed their wrongdoings, they are allowed access to moderate heavenly realms or fortunate rebirths.
Western Gateway
The Western Gateway is described for those caught between righteousness and sin—those whose lives were filled with doubt, hesitation, or spiritual laziness. They did not actively pursue evil but also did little to uplift others or seek divine truth. These souls are often confused or remorseful and are greeted with a mixture of pity and correction.
Here, they face deeper introspection. Some may be sent back to the earthly realm under more challenging circumstances for karmic correction. Others face mild purgatory-like conditions that aim to teach them the consequences of inaction and indifference.
Southern Gateway
The most terrifying and infamous of the gates, the Southern Gateway is reserved for the sinful. As the Garuda Purana vividly details, this is the path taken by those who lived in deceit, violence, greed, arrogance, and disregard for sacred values.
These souls are violently dragged by Yama’s dreadful messengers (Yamadutas) through 86,000 yojanas of dark, painful terrain, facing the Vaitarani river and numerous hellish cities. Upon arrival at the Southern Gate, they are presented to Chitragupta and Yama, who reveal the record of their misdeeds. Punishment is then pronounced and carried out with terrifying accuracy. These souls are cast into one or more of the 21 hells described in the text—each one tailored to the specific nature of the sin committed.
Conclusion
The Garuda Purana, with its vivid depictions and symbolic narratives, is more than just an ancient scripture—it is a mirror held up to the soul. Through its portrayal of death, the journey beyond, and the eventual encounter with Yama—the King of Justice—it reminds us that life is not just about what we do, but how consciously we do it.
The journey of the soul through the sixteen cities, the confrontation with the Vaitarani river, and the final judgment at the gates of Yama’s city serve as profound metaphors. They speak to the importance of right action (karma), intention, repentance, and spiritual awareness. Whether one enters through the Eastern gate of light or the Southern gate of despair depends not on luck or destiny, but entirely on the choices we make while alive.
Yet, the Garuda Purana does not offer fear as the final word—it offers hope. It emphasizes that even the gravest sinner can find redemption through sincere atonement, charity, devotion, and a turn toward dharma. The soul’s journey, though fraught with trials, is not without purpose. Each hardship, each city, each gate is a teacher—a cosmic checkpoint urging us to evolve, to awaken, and ultimately, to return to the Divine.
In this way, the Purana becomes not just a scripture about death, but a call to truly live.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What happens after suicidal death in Garuda Purana?
According to the Garuda Purana, those who commit suicide face severe consequences in the afterlife. Since suicide is seen as a willful interruption of life’s karmic journey, such souls do not attain peace. They are denied proper funeral rites and often wander as restless spirits (preta). These souls may be tormented by their unresolved desires and pain, and must undergo intense purification in hell before they can take birth again. The act is viewed as a violation of dharma and is met with grave repercussions unless atoned for deeply.
What is the punishment for lying in the Garuda Purana?
Lying, especially when it causes harm to others or is used to manipulate, is considered a significant sin in the Garuda Purana. Those who lie face specific hells like Tāmisra (hell of darkness) or Raurava (terrifying hell) where they are tormented by Yama’s messengers. In these hells, liars are subjected to symbolic punishments that reflect the nature of their deceit—such as having their tongues torn out or being burned by the weight of their false words.
Who wrote the Garuda Purana?
The Garuda Purana is traditionally attributed to Sage Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas and the author of the Mahabharata. It is presented as a dialogue between Lord Vishnu and his mount Garuda. The version commonly recited during funeral rites is known as the Garuda Purana Sāroddhāra, a condensed version compiled by scholars such as Navanidhirama for easier understanding.
When to read Garuda Purana?
The Garuda Purana is typically recited during the mourning period following a person’s death—especially over the 13 days of shraddha (rites). It is meant to guide the soul on its journey and bring spiritual reflection to the living. However, it can be studied at any time for understanding dharma, karma, and the afterlife. Some believe it’s inauspicious to read during happy or celebratory occasions, but there is no strict prohibition in the scripture itself.
Can ladies read Garuda Purana?
Yes, women can read the Garuda Purana. There is no scriptural injunction that forbids women from accessing or studying it. The misconception that it is inauspicious or forbidden for women likely stems from cultural practices rather than canonical teachings. Anyone, regardless of gender, who seeks spiritual knowledge or wishes to understand life, death, and the soul’s journey, can read and benefit from the Garuda Purana.
How many punishments are there in Garuda Purana?
The Garuda Purana vividly describes 21 main hells, each tailored to different types of sins. These hells—like Andhatāmisra, Kumbhīpāka, Tāmisra, and Raurava—serve as purification chambers where souls atone for specific karmic transgressions. In addition to these, the Purana mentions 84 lakh (8.4 million) smaller hellish realms, signifying the almost infinite diversity of karmic consequences in the cosmic system of justice.