Shloka 103

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

एतद्गुणसमाकीर्णं शरीरं सर्वदेहिनाम् / आत्मानं ये न जानन्ति ते नराः पशवः स्मृताः

Transliteration

etadguṇasamākīrṇaṃ śarīraṃ sarvadehinām / ātmānaṃ ye na jānanti te narāḥ paśavaḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

جسدُ جميعِ ذوي الأجسادِ ممتزجٌ بصفاتِ المادة (الغونات)؛ ومن لا يعرفُ الذاتَ (آتمن) يُعَدُّ إنسانًا بالاسم، لكنه في الحقيقة كالبَهيمة.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally)

• गुण-समाकीर्णम्: mixed with qualities
• गुण-समाकीर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकीर्ण (कृदन्त; √कॄ/कीर्ण? from √कॄ/√किर् ‘to scatter/mix’, past participle ‘कीर्ण’ with सम्-आ-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थे ‘गुणैः समाकीर्णम्’ (mixed with qualities)

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्व-देहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्व-देहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (देहिन्), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासार्थे ‘सर्वेषां देहिनाम्’ (of all embodied beings)

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)

• स्मृताः: are considered/are called
• स्मृताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (are considered)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deha is guṇa-miśra; knowing the ātman is the criterion of true humanity; ignorance (ajñāna) is spiritual bestiality.

Vedantic Theme: Ātman distinct from body-mind complex; guṇas belong to prakṛti, not the Self; viveka as the gateway to liberation.

Application: Daily self-inquiry (ātma-vicāra), discrimination between seer and seen, and reducing guṇa-driven impulses through sāttvika conduct and study.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring contrast of deha vs ātman and the consequences of ajñāna in post-mortem journey; Garuda Purana teachings on guṇas and embodiment in adjacent adhyāyas describing yoni-bheda and karma-phala

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Gunas
• Dehin (embodied beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of Self-knowledge (Ātma-jñāna) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that without knowing the ātman, a person remains identified with the guṇa-made body and is therefore considered to live at a merely instinctive, animal-like level.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By distinguishing the guṇa-filled body from the ātman, it implies that progress on the soul’s path requires recognizing the Self as different from the perishable body, which is central to liberation-oriented teaching in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice discrimination between body-mind impulses and the witnessing Self—through study, japa, ethical restraint, and mindful action—so life is guided by dharma rather than mere appetite and habit.