Shloka 63

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

एषामायुर्व्यर्थमेवं गतं च एषां दृष्ट्वा यौवनं तु ध्रुवं च / स्कन्धस्थमृत्युर्हसते कृष्ण विष्णो तं वै न जानन्ति विमूढचेतसः

Transliteration

eṣāmāyurvyarthamevaṃ gataṃ ca eṣāṃ dṛṣṭvā yauvanaṃ tu dhruvaṃ ca / skandhasthamṛtyurhasate kṛṣṇa viṣṇo taṃ vai na jānanti vimūḍhacetasaḥ

Translation

إذ يرون شبابهم أمرًا محقَّقًا دائمًا، يمضي عمرهم هكذا سُدًى. والموتُ جاثمٌ على أكتافهم يضحك منهم—يا كريشنا، يا فيشنو—غير أنّ ذوي العقول المضلَّلة لا يعرفونه.

Word by Word

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• व्यर्थम्: in vain
• व्यर्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this way)

• गतम्: has gone/spent
• गतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/spent’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• ध्रुवम्: certain, fixed
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• स्कन्धस्थमृत्युः: death seated on the shoulder
• स्कन्धस्थमृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्कन्धे स्थितः मृत्यु:)

• हसते: laughs
• हसते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तम्: him/that (death)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थ

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध अव्यय

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विमूढचेतसः: those whose minds are deluded
• विमूढचेतसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि- (उपसर्ग) + मूढ (प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (विमूढं चेतः येषाम्)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Youth and certainty are illusions; death is imminent; ignorance prevents recognition—therefore awaken to Hari and pursue liberation-oriented living.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā and mṛtyu-smaraṇa as viveka; pramāda (heedlessness) as bondage; turning to Viṣṇu as refuge.

Application: Daily contemplation of mortality; prioritize sādhanā, reconciliation, and dharmic duties now rather than ‘later’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated mṛtyu-smaraṇa and urgency to perform dharma/dāna/bhakti before death; Garuda Purana Preta-kalpa: death as the gateway to Yama’s path

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of death-awareness in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that life becomes “wasted” when one assumes youth is permanent; remembering death prompts dharma, restraint, and timely spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain human ignorance about death?

It portrays death as already “on the shoulder,” meaning mortality is ever-present, yet people with deluded minds fail to recognize its nearness and live carelessly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat youth and health as uncertain; prioritize dharmic living, daily remembrance of impermanence, and meaningful duties (family, charity, discipline, devotion) without procrastination.