Shloka 84

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

कर्मभिः स्वशरीरोत्थैस्तत्र का परिदेवना / गन्त्री वसुमती नाशमुदधिर्दैवतानि च

Transliteration

karmabhiḥ svaśarīrotthaistatra kā paridevanā / gantrī vasumatī nāśamudadhirdaivatāni ca

Translation

إذا كانت أعمال المرء—المنبثقة من جسده نفسه—تؤتي ثمرها هناك، فأيُّ مجال يبقى للندب؟ إن الأرض الحاملة للكائنات، والهلاك، والمحيط، وحتى الآلهة أنفسهم، جميعهم خاضعون لهذا النظام.

Word by Word

• कर्मभिः: by actions
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• स्व-शरीर-उत्थैः: arising from one’s own body
• स्व-शरीर-उत्थैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-शरीर-उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शरीर + उत्थ)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कर्मभिः इति)

• तत्र: there / in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• का: what?
• का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• परिदेवना: lamentation
• परिदेवना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिदेवना (प्रातिपदिक; परि-देव् धातोः भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गन्त्री: the goer (one who departs)
• गन्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्त्री (प्रातिपदिक; गम् धातोः तृन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसुमती: the earth
• वसुमती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाशम्: destruction
• नाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उदधिः: ocean
• उदधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दैवतानि: deities
• दैवतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Suffering/experience ‘there’ arises from one’s own embodied actions; lamentation is futile against karma’s maturation and the universal law of dissolution.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama within saṃsāra; acceptance (prasāda-buddhi) as a step toward inner freedom.

Application: Own consequences: reflect on choices, cultivate ethical action now, and meet outcomes with steadiness rather than complaint; use adversity as impetus for dharmic correction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: karma-phala explanations in Pretakalpa and dharma sections (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Vasumati (Earth)
• Udadhि (Ocean)
• Daivatāni (Deities)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma in Garuda Purana according to this verse?

It states that post-death experience is driven by one’s own embodied actions; therefore results must be faced, making mere lamentation ineffective.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It frames the preta’s journey as karma-governed: what the individual did through the body becomes the determining force ‘there’ (after death), not external pleading or grief.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Focus on ethical conduct and dharmic choices now; cultivate detachment and responsibility, since outcomes arise from one’s own actions rather than sorrow or blame.