Shloka 56

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

वैचित्र्यस्योत्तरं प्रश्रे द्वितीयस्य वदामि ते / कर्मणां प्राक्तनानां तु तदसत्त्वेनं भदेतः

Transliteration

vaicitryasyottaraṃ praśre dvitīyasya vadāmi te / karmaṇāṃ prāktanānāṃ tu tadasattvenaṃ bhadetaḥ

Translation

Nun will ich dir die Antwort auf die zweite Frage über die Verschiedenheit (der Erfahrungen nach dem Tod) sagen: Sie rührt von den früheren Karmas her; und je nachdem ihre wirksame Kraft vorhanden ist oder fehlt, unterscheiden sich die Ergebnisse.

Word by Word

• वैचित्र्यस्य: of variety, of diversity
• वैचित्र्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैचित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• उत्तरम्: answer
• उत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रश्रे: in the question
• प्रश्रे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पाठभेद/लिप्यन्तरदोषसम्भाव्यः (प्रश्ने इति अपेक्षितम्)

• द्वितीयस्य: of the second
• द्वितीयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (of the second)

• वदामि: I say, I explain
• वदामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (to you/for you or your)

• कर्मणाम्: of actions, of deeds
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• प्राक्तनानाम्: of previous (past)
• प्राक्तनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राक्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (former/previous)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेष/विरोधार्थक अव्यय

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (that)

• असत्त्वेनम्: by absence/non-existence
• असत्त्वेनम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; पाठदोषसम्भाव्यः: असत्त्वेन (instrumental: 'by non-existence/absence')

• भदेतः: (text uncertain) is divided/occurs
• भदेतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद्/√भद् (धातु)
• Form: रूपपाठदोषसम्भाव्यः; अपेक्षितं: भिद्यते/भवेत/भेद्यते इत्यादि। प्रदत्त 'भदेतः' = लट्/लृङ्? मध्यमपुरुष-द्विवचन/आत्मनेपद इति अनिश्चितम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Post-death diversity arises from prior karmas; their effective force (presence/absence, strength/latency) differentiates outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-vipāka-niyati (lawful fruition) under saṁsāra; distinction between prārabdha/sañcita tendencies implied by ‘effective force’.

Application: Cultivate wholesome actions and intentions; understand that present conditions and future states are shaped by accumulated choices and their ripening.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.2.56-59 (karma as cause of experiential diversity)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Karma

FAQs

What is the importance of karma in explaining different afterlife experiences in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the variety in post-death outcomes arises from one’s prior karmas, whose operative presence or absence determines the specific results.

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

It frames the soul’s post-death journey as not random but structured by earlier actions; differences in experiences occur because different karmas become effective (or fail to become effective) for different beings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically and perform duties with awareness that actions leave consequences; consistent dharmic conduct shapes future experiences, including the post-death state.