Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 12

Jīva-yonis (84 Lakhs), Rarity of Human Birth, Sense-Restraint, Craving, and Śraddhā-based Dharma

Devanagari script

मानुष्यं यः समासाद्य स्वर्गमेक्षैकसाधकम् / तयोर्न साधयेदेकं तेनात्मा वञ्चितो ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

mānuṣyaṃ yaḥ samāsādya svargamekṣaikasādhakam / tayorna sādhayedekaṃ tenātmā vañcito dhruvam

Translation

মানবজন্ম লাভ করে—যা স্বর্গ ও মোক্ষ উভয়ের সাধনক্ষম—যদি কেউ এই দুটির একটিও সাধন না করে, তবে সে নিশ্চিতই নিজের আত্মাকে বঞ্চিত করে।

Word by Word

• मानुष्यम्: human state/birth
• मानुष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• समासाद्य: having attained
• समासाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एक: one/sole
• एक: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying साधकम्)

• साधकम्: accomplishing; means to attain
• साधकम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्वर्गम्: 'that which accomplishes')

• तयोः: of the two (i.e., human birth and heaven/goal)
• तयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• साधयेत्: should accomplish/secure
• साधयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: साध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकम्: one (of them)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• आत्मा: self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वञ्चितः: is deceived/cheated
• वञ्चितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वञ्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव (passive sense)

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative: 'certainly')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mānuṣya-janma is uniquely capable of attaining either svarga (through dharma/karma) or mokṣa (through liberation-oriented practice); failing to pursue either is self-deception.

Vedantic Theme: Purushārtha-pravṛtti and adhikāra: human life is the field for dharma and Brahma-jijñāsā; negligence (pramāda) perpetuates saṃsāra.

Application: Set a clear life aim: either disciplined dharmic action for higher worlds or liberation-focused sādhanā (bhakti/jñāna/yoga); avoid drifting in mere consumption.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent insistence on using human life for dharma, śrāddha duties, and Viṣṇu-bhakti leading beyond death

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Svarga
• Moksha

FAQs

What is the importance of human birth in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that human life uniquely enables the pursuit of higher aims—heaven through dharma and karma, and liberation through spiritual realization—so wasting it is self-deception.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, the after-death journey reflects one’s choices in life; failing to pursue dharma or moksha leaves the soul without the merit or wisdom needed for favorable post-mortem outcomes.

What is a practical application of this wisdom today?

Live deliberately: practice ethical conduct and duty (dharma) while also cultivating inner discipline (study, devotion, meditation) so life advances toward either svarga through merit or moksha through insight.