Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

कर्मजं देहमाश्रित्य पूर्वदेहं समुत्सजेत् / अङ्गुष्ठमात्रो वायुश्च शमीपत्रंसमारुहेत्

Transliteration

karmajaṃ dehamāśritya pūrvadehaṃ samutsajet / aṅguṣṭhamātro vāyuśca śamīpatraṃsamāruhet

Translation

Indem es Zuflucht in einem vom Karma geformten Leib nimmt, legt das Wesen den früheren Körper ab. Daumengroß geworden und vom Wind getragen, steigt es auf ein Blatt des Śamī-Baumes.

Word by Word

• कर्म-जम्: born of karma
• कर्म-जम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (जन् धातु + ड; तद्धित/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः जातः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (देहम्)

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to, taking refuge in
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्) → आश्रित्य
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पूर्व-देहम्: the former body
• पूर्व-देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुत्सजेत्: should abandon, should cast off
• समुत्सजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अङ्गुष्ठ-मात्रः: of thumb-size
• अङ्गुष्ठ-मात्रः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (परिमाण), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (वायुः)

• वायुः: wind; vital air
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शमी-पत्रम्: a leaf of the śamī tree
• शमी-पत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शम्याः पत्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समारुहेत्: should climb/ascend
• समारुहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment is karma-generated; the jīva discards one body and assumes another suited to its post-mortem trajectory.

Vedantic Theme: Dehāntara-prāpti under karma; distinction between self and bodies (śarīra-traya perspective) implied though not explicitly taught.

Application: Contemplate impermanence of the physical body; prioritize dharma and inner cultivation over bodily identification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tree/vanaspati

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: thumb-sized preta form and wind-driven movement imagery; Garuda Purana: dehāntara and karmaja-śarīra descriptions

Characters & Entities

• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'karma-born body' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that after death the being depends on a body formed by its karma (a subtle, karma-shaped embodiment), which enables experience and movement after leaving the gross physical body.

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

It describes the immediate post-death transition: the former body is abandoned, and the being becomes extremely subtle (thumb-sized) and is carried by wind, indicating a non-physical mode of travel in the preta-state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes ethical living: actions shape one’s post-death condition. It also supports the rationale for Garuda Purana death rites—helping the departed in the transition after the gross body is left.