Shloka 129

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

न दत्तं न हुतं तप्तं न स्नातं न कृतं हितम् / यादृशं चरितं कर्म मूढात्मन् भुङ्क्ष्व तादृशम्

Transliteration

na dattaṃ na hutaṃ taptaṃ na snātaṃ na kṛtaṃ hitam / yādṛśaṃ caritaṃ karma mūḍhātman bhuṅkṣva tādṛśam

Translation

لم تُعطِ صدقةً، ولم تُقِم قُربانًا، ولم تتعبّد بتقشّفٍ، ولم تتطهّر بالاغتسال، ولم تفعل عملًا نافعًا. يا أيّتها النفسُ المخدوعة—كما كانت أعمالُك، كذلك ثمراتُها عليك الآن أن تذوقها.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• दत्तम्: given (as charity)
• दत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (given)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• हुतम्: sacrificed/offered
• हुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हु (धातु) → हुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (offered in fire)

• तप्तम्: austerity done
• तप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (austerity performed / heated)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• स्नातम्: bathed
• स्नातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (bathed)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (done)

• हितम्: good deed/benefit
• हितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक; √धा/√हि? lexical 'benefit')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म/फलवाचक

• यादृशम्: such as/whatever kind
• यादृशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यादृश (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of कर्म)

• चरितम्: performed
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (practised/performed)

• कर्म: action/deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मूढात्मन्: O deluded one
• मूढात्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: मूढः आत्मा यस्य (O deluded-souled one)

• भुङ्क्ष्व: eat/experience
• भुङ्क्ष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तादृशम्: of that kind; corresponding
• तादृशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of कर्म/फलम् implied)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue, instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra about karmic consequences in the Preta Kanda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: As you acted, so you experience: omission of dāna, homa, tapas, śauca (snāna), and hita-kārya yields corresponding suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha and its fruition; ignorance (moha) as the condition that perpetuates saṃsāra through negligent living.

Application: Adopt a balanced dharmic routine: charity, worship/offerings, self-discipline, cleanliness, and beneficial service; conduct periodic self-audit to reduce negligence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: admonitory scene on the preta’s route / before Yama’s agents

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama-dūta admonitions; lists of neglected dharmas; karma-phala statements ‘yādṛśaṃ… tādṛśam’

Characters & Entities

• Atman (soul)
• Karma

FAQs

What is the importance of charity and offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that dana (charity) and huta/homa (offerings) are counted as merit-bearing acts; neglecting them leaves one with little punya, so the soul must face results aligned with its own deeds.

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

It frames the after-death experience as karma-driven: the preta (departed being) does not escape consequences, but undergoes outcomes matching the quality of actions performed (or omitted) in life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a life of regular charity, simple worship/offerings, personal discipline (tapas), cleanliness/ritual purity, and helpful deeds—so one’s karmic “ledger” supports peace rather than regret.