Shloka 27

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

आत्मा तथैव सर्वेषु पुत्त्रेषु विचरेत्सदा / या यस्य प्रकृतिः पूर्वं शुक्रशोणितसङ्गमे

Transliteration

ātmā tathaiva sarveṣu puttreṣu vicaretsadā / yā yasya prakṛtiḥ pūrvaṃ śukraśoṇitasaṅgame

Translation

Ebenso wandert der Ātman stets in allen Söhnen. Und die Natur, die jedem Wesen zuvor eigen war—beim Zusammentreffen von Samen und Blut—tritt entsprechend wieder hervor.

Word by Word

• आत्मा: the self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb ‘thus/so’)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुत्रेषु)

• पुत्रेषु: in sons/children
• पुत्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• विचरेत्: should move/operate
• विचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb ‘always’)

• या: which
• या: Karta/Relational (कर्ता/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (whose)

• प्रकृतिः: nature/constitution
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly/before
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोगः; कालवाचक (adverb ‘formerly/before’)

• शुक्र-शोणित-सङ्गमे: in the union of semen and blood
• शुक्र-शोणित-सङ्गमे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुक्रस्य शोणितस्य च सङ्गमः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Self is not truly divided; yet through embodiment and prior dispositions, distinct natures appear in different offspring at conception (śukra-śoṇita-saṅgama).

Vedantic Theme: One consciousness appearing as many via upādhis; saṃskāra/prakṛti shaping individuality within saṃsāra.

Application: Hold non-possessive awareness in family life: see children as distinct carriers of their own saṃskāras; cultivate guidance without egoic projection; support sattvic conditions at conception and upbringing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: teaching setting (upadeśa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana discussions on rebirth, saṃskāra, and lineage; philosophical interludes within Pretakalpa

Characters & Entities

• Atman

FAQs

What is the importance of prakriti (innate nature) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It explains that individual temperament is not random; a being’s prior disposition (prakriti) reappears at embodiment, shaping how the soul expresses itself in a new birth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It indicates continuity: the atman does not end with one body but continues and becomes active again in progeny/embodiment, with earlier tendencies manifesting at conception (śukra-śoṇita saṅgama).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages ethical living and mindful conduct, since tendencies and character are portrayed as enduring; cultivating sattvic habits is presented as shaping future embodiment and disposition.