Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

मानुषत्वं पशुत्वं च पक्षित्वाद्यतिदुः खदम् / कर्मणां तारतम्येन भवतीह खगेश्वर

Transliteration

mānuṣatvaṃ paśutvaṃ ca pakṣitvādyatiduḥ khadam / karmaṇāṃ tāratamyena bhavatīha khageśvara

Translation

Menschliche Geburt, tierische Geburt und sogar Vogelgeburt und dergleichen—jede kann hier zur Quelle großen Leidens werden, o Herr der Vögel, je nach Abstufung und Verschiedenheit der Karmas.

Word by Word

• मानुषत्वम्: human state, humanity
• मानुषत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष + त्व (तद्धित; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• पशुत्वम्: animal state
• पशुत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + त्व (तद्धित; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

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

• पक्षित्वादि: birdhood and the like
• पक्षित्वादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षित्व (पक्षिन् + त्व) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहारार्थे 'आदि' सहित समास/समुच्चय (birdhood etc.)

• अति: very, excessively
• अति: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier: 'excessively')

• दुःखदम्: giving suffering
• दुःखदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + द (√दा धातु + क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: दुःखं ददाति इति

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

• तारतम्येन: by gradation, by relative differences
• तारतम्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारतम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental: 'by gradation/relative difference')

• भवति: happens, becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuda)
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: खगानाम् ईश्वरः (O lord of birds)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: By the hierarchy/gradation of karmas, births such as human, animal, bird can become intensely painful; embodiment is a karmic consequence.

Vedantic Theme: Duḥkha-doṣa-darśana (seeing the defect of saṁsāra) and karma-bandha (bondage through action) motivating liberation-seeking.

Application: Use human life wisely: reduce harmful actions, cultivate compassion toward animals, and pursue practices that lessen future suffering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.2.58 (duḥkha in various births)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic gradation (tāratamya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the specific kind and intensity of suffering across different births depends on the relative strength and quality of one’s accumulated karmas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul through different births?

It frames rebirth as a karmically ordered spectrum—human, animal, bird, and other forms—where the soul’s experience in each embodiment is shaped by the hierarchy of past actions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharmic conduct and reduce harmful actions, since the text links future embodiment and suffering directly to the degree and nature of one’s karma.