Shloka 31

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

अपरोक्षमिति प्रोक्तं तथा ह्यारब्धसंक्षयः / एकेन शतकल्पेन वायुत्वं याति भो द्विज

Transliteration

aparokṣamiti proktaṃ tathā hyārabdhasaṃkṣayaḥ / ekena śatakalpena vāyutvaṃ yāti bho dvija

Translation

Dies wird als ‘aparokṣa’, als unmittelbare Schau, verkündet; und wahrlich ist es auch das Erschöpfen des bereits begonnenen Karma (ārabdha). O Zweimalgeborener, in einem einzigen Zeitraum von hundert Kalpas gelangt man zum Zustand des Vāyu, des Windes.

Word by Word

• अपरोक्षम्: direct realization; immediate knowledge
• अपरोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपरोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract/quality noun used as quoted term

• इति: thus; as (it is) said
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• प्रोक्तम्: is said; has been declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agrees with implied ‘एतत्’/statement

• तथा: likewise; in the same way
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• आरब्ध-संक्षयः: the exhaustion of begun (prārabdha) karma
• आरब्ध-संक्षयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरब्ध (प्र-रभ् धातु, क्त कृदन्त) + संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘आरब्धस्य संक्षयः’ (decay/ending of what has begun)

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; numeral adjective qualifying ‘शतकल्पेन’ (instrumental of measure)

• शत-कल्पेन: by (a period of) a hundred kalpas
• शत-कल्पेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शतस्य कल्पः’ (a hundred kalpas) used as measure; with ‘एकेन’ = ‘by one hundred-kalpa (period)’

• वायु-त्वम्: the state of being Vāyu (wind-godhood)
• वायु-त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भाववाचक तद्धितान्त (state/condition)

• याति: attains; goes to
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda; vocative ‘dvija’ indicates the addressed listener in the narrative frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aparokṣa (direct realization) is linked with the wearing out of prārabdha/ārabdha karma; long cosmic durations are cited for attainment of elemental status (vāyu-tva).

Vedantic Theme: Relation of jñāna and prārabdha-kṣaya; distinction between realization and the momentum of begun karma.

Application: Pursue direct insight (aparokṣānubhava) while patiently enduring prārabdha; interpret life’s momentum as karma-fruition without losing equanimity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: teachings on karma-kṣaya and gati (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of ārabdha-karma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that even when something is ‘directly known’ (aparokṣa), the already-initiated karmic momentum (ārabdha) must still run down—showing why consequences and post-death states are discussed as results of operative karma.

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

It frames the journey in terms of karmic exhaustion across vast cosmic durations (kalpas), implying gradual transformation of embodied states (here, ‘vāyutva’—wind-like existence) as karma is consumed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act with restraint and dharma now: the verse stresses that actions generate long-running momentum, so ethical living and corrective practices (prāyaścitta, devotion, discipline) reduce harmful karmic trajectories.