Shloka 30

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

तपोरतो योगशीलो महाज्ञानी च यो नरः / महादानरतः श्रीमान्धर्मात्मातुलविक्रमः / विना मानुपदेहं तु सुखं दुः खं न विन्दति

Transliteration

taporato yogaśīlo mahājñānī ca yo naraḥ / mahādānarataḥ śrīmāndharmātmātulavikramaḥ / vinā mānupadehaṃ tu sukhaṃ duḥ khaṃ na vindati

Translation

Selbst ein Mensch, der der Askese hingegeben ist, im Yoga diszipliniert, hochgelehrt, der großen Gaben zugetan, begütert, dharmisch gesinnt und von unvergleichlicher Tapferkeit—ohne einen menschlichen Leib erfährt er weder Lust noch Schmerz.

Word by Word

• तपोरतः: devoted to austerity
• तपोरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'तपोरत' इति तद्धित/समासान्त-प्रातिपदिक, अर्थे 'तपसि रतः' (eng: devoted to austerity)

• योगशीलः: of yogic disposition
• योगशीलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य शीलम् यस्य) (eng: having the habit/nature of yoga)

• महाज्ञानी: a great knower
• महाज्ञानी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + ज्ञानी (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञानिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् चासौ ज्ञानी) (eng: a great knower)

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• नरः: man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महादानरतः: devoted to great charity
• महादानरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (महादाने रतः / महादानस्य रतः) (eng: devoted to great giving)

• श्रीमान्: prosperous, illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (eng: possessing prosperity/splendour)

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-minded
• धर्मात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य / धर्मे आत्मा यस्य) (eng: righteous-souled)

• अतुलविक्रमः: of incomparable valor
• अतुलविक्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अतुलः विक्रमः यस्य / अतुलविक्रमः) (eng: of incomparable prowess)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय; विना + तृतीया/द्वितीया (eng: without)

• मानुपदेहम्: a human body
• मानुपदेहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः (मानुषः देहः) (eng: human body)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• विन्दति: finds/experiences
• विन्दति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: विद्/विन्द् (eng: finds/obtains)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhoga (experience of pleasure/pain) requires a human body; even great tapas, yoga, jñāna, dāna, and dharma do not yield experiential fruition without embodiment.

Vedantic Theme: Deha-upādhi as the instrument for prārabdha-bhoga; distinction between ātman and body while acknowledging body as the locus of vyavahāra and karma-phala experience.

Application: Value human birth: use embodied life for dharma, sādhana, and responsible action; avoid postponing spiritual practice under the assumption that merit alone suffices without lived discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa discussions on necessity of embodiment for karma-phala and the soul’s journey (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the human body in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the experience of sukha (pleasure) and duḥkha (pain)—the field where karma is tasted and worked out—depends upon having a mānuṣa-deha (human body), even for highly virtuous and learned persons.

How does this verse explain the soul’s journey after death?

By implying that post-death states are not the same as embodied human experience: without the human body, the usual modes of experiencing pleasure and pain change, highlighting why human life is pivotal for dharma, yoga, and conscious karma-shaping.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human life as a rare opportunity: practice dharma, self-discipline (yoga), and charity now, because the fullest arena for conscious ethical choice and karmic experience is the embodied human condition.