Shloka 61

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

असत्यं स्वप्नमायावत्कालेन कवलीकृतम् / तत्रापि भारते वर्षे बहुदुः खस्य भागिनः

Transliteration

asatyaṃ svapnamāyāvatkālena kavalīkṛtam / tatrāpi bhārate varṣe bahuduḥ khasya bhāginaḥ

Translation

All dies ist unwirklich — wie Traum oder Trugbild — vom Lauf der Zeit verschlungen. Und doch werden die Menschen in Bhārata-varṣa zu Teilhabern reichen Leids.

Word by Word

• असत्यम्: untrue
• असत्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तत्/एतत् अव्यक्तं वस्तु)

• स्वप्नमायावत्: like a dream and illusion
• स्वप्नमायावत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (स्वप्नः च माया च) + वत् (like)

• कालेन: by time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• कवलीकृतम्: swallowed/consumed
• कवलीकृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कवलि-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (having been swallowed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-निपात (also/even)

• भारते: in Bhārata
• भारते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वर्षस्य)

• वर्षे: in the land/region
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• बहुदुःखस्य: of much suffering
• बहुदुःखस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (बहुं दुःखं यस्य)

• भागिनः: sharers/partakers
• भागिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (भागिन् = भाग-युक्त)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Jagat as svapna-māyā, devoured by Kāla; recognition of impermanence as a spur to vairāgya.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā/anityatā; Kāla as the devourer; saṃsāra-duḥkha prompting viveka.

Application: Practice daily impermanence-reflection (anitya-bhāvanā), reduce clinging, and prioritize sādhanā (japa, study, charity) over transient pursuits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: sacred land/continent

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent Kāla-mṛtyu reflections and saṃsāra as duḥkha-sāgara; Garuda Purana: exhortations to pursue Hari-bhakti in human birth

Characters & Entities

• Time (Kāla)
• Bhārata-varṣa

FAQs

What is the importance of impermanence (Kāla) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that Time consumes everything, so worldly attachments are unreliable; the text urges dharmic living and spiritual urgency rather than clinging to transient pleasures.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By calling worldly life dream-like and time-devoured, it frames embodied existence as samsāra—where ignorance produces repeated sorrow—prompting the seeker to pursue dharma and liberation-oriented practices.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat possessions and status as temporary, reduce harmful cravings, and prioritize ethical conduct, remembrance of mortality, and regular spiritual disciplines (japa, charity, restraint).