Shloka 13

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

उत्तमाधममध्यानां तत्तदावर्जनं भवेत् / यावद्भाग्यं भवेद्यस्य तावन्मार्गे ऽतिरिच्यते

Transliteration

uttamādhamamadhyānāṃ tattadāvarjanaṃ bhavet / yāvadbhāgyaṃ bhavedyasya tāvanmārge 'tiricyate

Translation

Für den Höheren, den Niederen und den Mittleren entsteht ein Meiden oder Abweichen je nach ihrer jeweiligen Lage. Und solange das Glück (bhāgya) eines Menschen währt, so lange wird er auf dem Pfad weitergetragen.

Word by Word

• उत्तम: of the best
• उत्तम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (in genitive plural with the group)

• अधम: of the worst
• अधम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मध्यानाम्: of the middling
• मध्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण/समूहवाचक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that’ (correlative)

• तत्: respective
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (each respective)

• आवर्जनम्: avoidance; abstention
• आवर्जनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-वृज्/आ-वर्ज् (धातु) → आवर्जन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (act of avoiding/turning away)

• भवेत्: should be; may occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यावत्: as much as; so long as
• यावत्: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb: as much as/so long as)

• भाग्यम्: fortune; destiny
• भाग्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: may be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यस्य: of whom; whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (whose/of whom)

• तावत्: that much
• तावत्: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb: that much/so much)

• मार्गे: on the path
• मार्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative)

• अतिरिच्यते: is exceeded; remains over
• अतिरिच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-रिच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is exceeded; is left over)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Different outcomes (diversion/avoidance and distance traveled) correspond to one’s bhāgya—i.e., karmic fortune/merit—across superior, middling, and inferior conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama: experiential inequality arises from prior causes; acceptance without fatalism, encouraging right action now.

Application: Cultivate punya through charity, truthfulness, and restraint; avoid actions that diminish one’s ‘bhāgya’ and thereby shorten auspicious progress.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: path/waystations

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: gradations of pretas and varied hardships on the road; Garuda Purana: classifications of sinners/meritorious and corresponding routes/experiences

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of bhāgya (fortune) in the Garuda Purana’s description of the after-death journey?

This verse states that a being’s progress on the post-death path continues only as long as their allotted bhāgya (karmic fortune) supports it, implying that karmic reserves condition movement and experience after death.

How does this verse explain differences between superior, middling, and inferior beings on the journey?

It indicates that each category (uttama, madhyama, adhama) encounters ‘turning away’ or diversion in its own manner—suggesting that moral/spiritual quality shapes the route, obstacles, and the capacity to proceed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and restraint so one’s ‘path’ is not diverted by lower tendencies; build merit through ethical living and devotional practice, recognizing that fortune is strengthened by sustained right action.