Shloka 10

Dṛṣṭānta on Siddhi: Pitṛ-Procedure, Non-Delusion, and Vyākaraṇa Classifications

Devanagari script

अस्मानेष व्रजेत्सस्यादृक्साम स च गच्छति / कुटीच्छाया तथा छाया सन्धयो ऽन्ये तथेदृशाः

Transliteration

asmāneṣa vrajetsasyādṛksāma sa ca gacchati / kuṭīcchāyā tathā chāyā sandhayo 'nye tathedṛśāḥ

Translation

Wenn ein Mensch diese Welt verlässt, geht mit ihm eben jenes Ebenbild—sein feinstoffliches Gegenstück. Ebenso sind der Schatten einer Hütte, ein Schatten und andere, gleichsam „Fugen“-artige Erscheinungen von derselben Art: abhängig, begleitend und nicht eigenständig substanzhaft.

Word by Word

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; बहुवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative plural)

• एषः: this (person)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• तस्य: of that/its
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः; एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive singular)

• अदृक्: (one) without sight; blind (f.)
• अदृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• साम: equal; same
• साम: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present); प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• कुटीच्छाया: the hut’s shadow
• कुटीच्छाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटी (प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (Nominative singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुट्याः छाया)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: in that manner)

• छाया: shadow
• छाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• सन्धयः: sandhi-junctions
• सन्धयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• तथा: similarly
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• ईदृशाः: of this kind; such
• ईदृशाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A departing being is accompanied by a subtle likeness; certain phenomena (shadow, hut-shade, junction-like appearances) are dependent and not independently substantial.

Vedantic Theme: Vivarta/ābhāsa (appearance) and dependence (paratantratā) of phenomena; distinction between gross and subtle.

Application: Cultivate viveka: treat bodily identity and worldly ‘shadows’ as dependent appearances; reduce clinging at death and in daily life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: subtle body (liṅga/ātivāhika) accompanying the jīva after death (general parallel themes)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Jiva
• Subtle body

FAQs

What is the importance of the “subtle counterpart” (sāma/ādṛk) in Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that at death the departing being is accompanied by a likeness—understood as the subtle mode of existence—supporting the Garuda Purana’s model of post-death travel beyond the gross body.

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

By comparing the departing self to shadow-like, dependent phenomena, it suggests the traveler after death is not the discarded physical body but a continuing, accompanying subtle presence that proceeds onward.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness that character and inner tendencies continue beyond external circumstances; prioritize dharma, self-discipline, and purifying actions, as the ‘inner self’ is what truly accompanies one.