Shloka 119

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

पायु (द) स्थाने स्थितः केतुः शरीरे ग्रहमण्डलम् / विभक्तञ्च समाख्यातमापादतलमस्तकम्

Transliteration

pāyu (da) sthāne sthitaḥ ketuḥ śarīre grahamaṇḍalam / vibhaktañca samākhyātamāpādatalamastakam

Translation

Ketu befindet sich in der Aftergegend; so wird die ganze Sphäre der Planeten als im Körper verteilt beschrieben, von den Fußsohlen bis zum Scheitel.

Word by Word

• पायौ: in the anus
• पायौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘पायौ’ = पायु-शब्दस्य सप्तमी एकवचन (locative)

• स्थाने: in the place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• स्थितः: situated
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (केतॊः)

• केतुः: Ketu
• केतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• ग्रह-मण्डलम्: the circle/assembly of planets
• ग्रह-मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ग्रहाणां मण्डलम्)

• विभक्तम्: divided/arranged
• विभक्तम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भज् (धातु) → विभक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ग्रह-मण्डलस्य)

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

• समाख्यातम्: is stated/declared
• समाख्यातम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + ख्या (धातु) → समाख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘declared/said’—विशेषणम् (ग्रह-मण्डलस्य)

• आ-पादतल-मस्तकम्: from the soles (of the feet) to the head
• आ-पादतल-मस्तकम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पादतल (प्रातिपदिक) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial phrase) — ‘from the soles of the feet up to the head’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Total-body graha-maṇḍala: the individual is a complete field of cosmic forces, implying responsibility for embodied conduct and awareness.

Vedantic Theme: Loka–piṇḍa-sāmya; the ‘whole’ (maṇḍala) is knowable through the ‘part’ (body), supporting inward contemplation.

Application: Use the soles-to-head axis as a meditative scan (smṛti) aligning breath/japa with bodily loci; in jyotiṣa, reflect on how nodes (Rāhu/Ketu) relate to speech and elimination/letting-go.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: subtle-anatomical axis

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.117-118 (other graha placements); Garuda Purana 2.32.120ff (transition toward mortality/pretakalpa themes)

Characters & Entities

• Ketu
• Grahamaṇḍala

FAQs

What is the importance of mapping grahas onto the body in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents the body as a microcosm where planetary forces (grahas) have specific loci, helping explain how karmic and cosmic influences are experienced through embodied life.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

By describing a subtle, ordered structure of influences within the body, it supports the text’s broader teaching that the jīva’s post-death experience is shaped by karmic imprints carried through the subtle body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to treat body, conduct, and discipline as spiritually significant, since inner states and actions are portrayed as connected to larger cosmic patterns.