Shloka 11

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

उपभोगेन पुण्याना मपुण्यानाञ्च पार्थिव / कर्तव्यानाञ्च नित्यानां क्षयन्त्वकरणात्तथा

Transliteration

upabhogena puṇyānā mapuṇyānāñca pārthiva / kartavyānāñca nityānāṃ kṣayantvakaraṇāttathā

Translation

O König, Verdienste und Verfehlungen erschöpfen sich, wenn ihre Früchte erfahren werden; ebenso schwindet der Vorrat an täglich gebotenen Pflichten, wenn man sie nicht ausführt.

Word by Word

• उपभोगेन: by enjoyment/experience
• उपभोगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन-करण (instrumental means)

• पुण्यानाम्: of meritorious (deeds)
• पुण्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण (qualifying)

• अपुण्यानाम्: of demeritorious (deeds)
• अपुण्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण

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

• पार्थिव: O king (earthly ruler)
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कर्तव्यानाम्: of duties/obligatory acts
• कर्तव्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + तव्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (things to be done)

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

• नित्यानाम्: of daily/regular (acts)
• नित्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण

• क्षयन्तु: let (them) be exhausted/come to an end
• क्षयन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षि (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अकरणात्: from non-performance
• अकरणात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकरण (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास/निषेध + करण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपसंहारार्थ (adverb: thus/likewise)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda; addressing the listener as 'pārthiva'—O king)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmaphala is depleted by experience (bhoga); neglect of nitya-karmas causes loss/decline of their sustaining merit and order.

Vedantic Theme: Prārabdha is ‘lived out’ through experience; discipline (nitya-karma) supports sattva and readiness for jñāna/bhakti.

Application: Treat life-events as karmic fruition; keep daily obligatory duties (nitya) consistent to avoid spiritual/ethical erosion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring karma-kṣaya and nitya/naimittika duty discussions in dharma-yoga sections (chapter context 1.226).

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of nitya-karma (daily obligatory duties) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that daily obligatory duties have a “stock” that is diminished by non-performance, implying spiritual loss and increased accountability when regular dharmic acts are neglected.

How does this verse explain the working of karma (punya and papa)?

It explains that merits and demerits are “used up” by being experienced—karmic results ripen into lived experience and thereby get exhausted.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain consistent daily discipline—basic prayers, ethical conduct, and prescribed duties—because neglect erodes spiritual strength, while karmic results inevitably mature through experience.