Shloka 40

Nirūpaṇa (Nāḍī–Svara-Nirūpaṇam): Breath Currents, Omens, and Action-Timing

Devanagari script

चरेस्थिरे तद्विमार्गे तादृशेतादृशे क्रमात् / निर्गमे निर्गमं याति संग्रहे संग्रहं विदुः

Transliteration

caresthire tadvimārge tādṛśetādṛśe kramāt / nirgame nirgamaṃ yāti saṃgrahe saṃgrahaṃ viduḥ

Translation

Ob man sich bewegt oder stillsteht, man schreitet der gleichen Bahn gemäß, der Reihe nach; im Fortgehen erlangt man das Fortgehen, und im Ansammeln, so verkünden die Weisen, erlangt man das Ansammeln.

Word by Word

चरेmove, act

स्थिरेin the steady (state/place)

तत्that

विमार्गेin the wrong path

तादृशेin such (a manner/state)

क्रमात्in sequence, gradually

निर्गमेin (the act of) exit

निर्गमम्exit

यातिgoes, attains

संग्रहेin (the act of) collection/retention

संग्रहम्collection/retention

विदुःthey know, they consider

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One attains results in strict correspondence with one’s chosen course—movement, withdrawal, departure, or accumulation yields like outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama under māyā; the jīva experiences patterned results until discernment redirects action toward liberation.

Application: Examine habitual ‘courses’ (vṛtti): if you cultivate grasping, you get more grasping; if you cultivate letting-go, you get release—choose practices that reduce saṅgraha and increase vairāgya.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general karma-phala discussions (contextual parallel, not a direct citation)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (cause-and-effect) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that one reaches results that correspond to one’s mode of conduct—movement, stillness, departure, or accumulation—affirming that outcomes follow one’s chosen course.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames the soul’s post-death trajectory as rule-governed and sequential (kramāt): the conditions one cultivates—renunciation/exit or hoarding/attachment—shape the kind of onward movement experienced.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate deliberate action and reduce harmful accumulation (greed, possessiveness); choose dharmic conduct so that the “path” you build inwardly leads to a lighter, clearer onward journey.