Shloka 45

Svapnādhāya (Dream-Chapter): Causes, Forms, Nourishment, and Liberation of Pretas

Devanagari script

पुरायं मौनमास्थाय याचितो विलिखेद्भुवम् / तेन कर्मविपाकेन लेखको नाम चोच्यते

Transliteration

purāyaṃ maunamāsthāya yācito vilikhedbhuvam / tena karmavipākena lekhako nāma cocyate

Translation

Einst, im Schweigen (mauna) verharrend, schrieb er, wenn man ihn darum bat, Aufzeichnungen auf die Erde. Durch die Reifung jenes Karmas wird er daher „Lekhaka“, der Schreiber, genannt.

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (‘formerly’)

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• maunam: silence
• maunam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• āsthāya: having adopted
• āsthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āsthāya (अव्यय; √sthā (धातु) + ā- + ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund/ल्यपन्त), avyaya; sense: ‘having adopted/undertaken’

• yācitaḥ: when asked
• yācitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yācita (कृदन्त; √yāc (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; kta-participle: ‘having been asked/begged’

• vilikhet: would scratch/write
• vilikhet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √likh (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• bhuvam: the ground/earth
• bhuvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuva/bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• tena: by that/therefore
• tena: Hetu/Kāraṇa (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana

• karmavipākena: due to the result of karma
• karmavipākena: Hetu/Kāraṇa (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma + vipāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; samāsa: karmaṇāṃ vipākaḥ (ripening/result of deeds)

• lekhakaḥ: Lekhaka (writer/scratcher)
• lekhakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lekhaka (प्रातिपदिक; from √likh (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Nāmadhāraṇa (Naming particle/नाम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle meaning ‘by name/indeed’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) (passive stem ucyate)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; passive (karmaṇi prayoga)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Actions, even seemingly minor habits (silent writing/recording), ripen into corresponding post-mortem roles and identities.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as subtle causality shaping nāma-rūpa; saṃskāra-driven continuity across lives/death-states.

Application: Be mindful of habitual conduct and professional actions; cultivate truthful, compassionate speech and record-keeping; avoid harm through bureaucratic silence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: naming of pretas by karma-based traits (continued in 2.22.46)

Characters & Entities

• Lekhaka

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘Lekhaka’ (scribe) in Garuda Purana?

This verse links the title ‘Lekhaka’ to karmic fruition: one who habitually wrote/recorded (even on the earth) becomes designated a cosmic ‘scribe,’ implying a role in documenting deeds in the afterlife framework.

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

It emphasizes karma-vipāka (the ripening of actions): prior habits and deeds shape one’s post-death role and experience, fitting the Garuda Purana’s broader theme of moral causality governing the journey in Yama’s domain.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat actions—especially truthful speech and responsible record-keeping—as ethically significant; disciplined conduct (like restraint in speech) and integrity in duties are portrayed as shaping future outcomes through karma.