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Shloka 16

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

त्यक्त्वा स्वकर्माणि मदेन सुस्थितं मया सुतीर्थे स्ववपुर्न चोज्झितम् / धर्मोर्जितो नैव न देवपूजनं कृतं मया चैव विमुक्तिहेतवे

Transliteration

tyaktvā svakarmāṇi madena susthitaṃ mayā sutīrthe svavapurna cojjhitam / dharmorjito naiva na devapūjanaṃ kṛtaṃ mayā caiva vimuktihetave

Translation

„Vom Stolz berauscht verließ ich meine rechtmäßigen Pflichten. Obwohl ich wohlgestellt war, führte ich diesen Leib nicht durch heilige Zucht zu einem reinen Tīrtha, um ihn dort hinzugeben. Ich mehrte die wahre Dharma nicht, verehrte die Devas nicht und tat nichts, was Ursache der Befreiung wäre.“

Word by Word
त्यक्त्वाhaving abandoned
त्यक्त्वा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootत्यज् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), from √त्यज्; ‘having abandoned’
स्वकर्माणिone's own actions
स्वकर्माणि:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वस्य कर्माणि’
मदेनby pride/intoxication
मदेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental ‘by/with intoxication (pride)’
सुस्थितम्well-established
सुस्थितम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु + स्थित (√स्था) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally ‘well-established/firm’
मयाby me
मया:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by me’
सुतीर्थेat a holy place
सुतीर्थे:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootसु + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘सु-तीर्थम्’ = good sacred ford/place; locative ‘in/at’
स्ववपुःone's own body
स्ववपुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वस्य वपुः’
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
उज्झितम्abandoned (cast off)
उज्झितम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootउत् + √झा/हā (धातु) → उज्झित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP ‘abandoned/cast off’; here predicative with ‘स्ववपुः’ (not cast off)
धर्मःdharma/righteousness
धर्मः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
ऊर्जितःstrengthened
ऊर्जितः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootऊर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP used adjectivally ‘strengthened/augmented’
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
एवindeed/just
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
देवपूजनम्worship of the gods
देवपूजनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘देवानां पूजनम्’
कृतम्done/performed
कृतम्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP ‘done’; used predicatively ‘was done’
मयाby me
मया:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय
विमुक्तिहेतवेfor the cause of liberation
विमुक्तिहेतवे:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootविमुक्ति + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘विमुक्तेः हेतु’ (cause of liberation); dative ‘for’
Speaker

A repentant departed soul (preta) expressing regret (as cited within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue framework of the Preta Kanda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pride (mada) leads to abandonment of svadharma; without dharma, deva-pūjā, and liberative orientation, life’s favorable conditions are squandered.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā expressed as ahaṅkāra; purification through dharma and upāsanā prepares for mokṣa; human birth as rare opportunity.

Application: Counter pride with humility and daily discipline; maintain svadharma; integrate worship and sādhana aimed at liberation rather than mere prosperity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana teachings on svadharma, tīrtha, and the necessity of worship and dharma for auspicious post-mortem outcomes (general internal parallels)

Characters & Entities
D
Devas
T
Tirtha

FAQs

This verse presents svadharma as a foundational safeguard: abandoning prescribed duties out of pride leaves one without the merit and inner purification that support a favorable after-death journey and spiritual progress.

It frames the after-death condition as one of regret and self-assessment: the soul recalls missed opportunities—dharma, worship, and liberation-oriented practice—implying that post-death states reflect one’s neglected or cultivated actions while alive.

Avoid pride-driven neglect of responsibilities; consistently practice dharma, maintain devotion (devapūjanā), and pursue liberation-oriented disciplines so life is not later remembered as wasted.

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