Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच / धर्मार्थकामं चिरमोक्षसञ्चयमन्यं द्वितीयं यममार्गगामिनाम् / प्रविश्यचाङ्गुष्ठसमे स तत्र वै तं प्राप्य देहं स्वमन्दिरम्?

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca / dharmārthakāmaṃ ciramokṣasañcayamanyaṃ dvitīyaṃ yamamārgagāminām / praviśyacāṅguṣṭhasame sa tatra vai taṃ prāpya dehaṃ svamandiram?

Translation

Der erhabene Herr sprach: Für jene, die den Weg zu Yama gehen, gibt es noch eine andere, zweite Verkörperung—daumengroß—gebildet aus den angesammelten Früchten von Dharma, Artha und Kāma sowie aus lange gehüteten Neigungen zur Befreiung; indem die Seele dort in sie eintritt, erlangt sie diesen Leib als ihre eigene Wohnstatt.

Word by Word

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् भगवān)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• dharma-artha-kāmam: dharma, wealth, and desire
• dharma-artha-kāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); द्वन्द्व-समाहारः (धर्मश्चार्थश्च कामश्च)

• cira-mokṣa-sañcayam: accumulation of long-term liberation
• cira-mokṣa-sañcayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक) + mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sañcaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (चिरस्य/दीर्घस्य मोक्षस्य सञ्चयः)

• anyam: another
• anyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dvitīyam: second
• dvitīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• yama-mārga-gāminām: of those who go on Yama’s path
• yama-mārga-gāminām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (यममार्गं गच्छन्ति ये)

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-viś (धातु) → praviśya (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• aṅguṣṭha-same: in/at (a place) the size of a thumb
• aṅguṣṭha-same: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (अङ्गुष्ठेन समः)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• tam: that (one)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāpya: having attained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-āp (धातु) → prāpya (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्यय)

• deham: body
• deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-mandiram: one’s own abode
• sva-mandiram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + mandira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (स्वं मन्दिरम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrī Bhagavān)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A ‘second’ thumb-sized embodiment arises from accumulated karmic deposits (dharma/artha/kāma and latent mokṣa-saṃskāras) and becomes the jīva’s dwelling during the Yama-journey.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma-śarīra/ātivāhika-śarīra as the vehicle of experience after death; karma as the architect of embodiment; saṃskāra as continuity across births.

Application: Cultivate dharma and purifying saṃskāras (especially bhakti and jñāna tendencies) while alive; remember that post-mortem experience is structured by one’s accumulated habits and merits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: liminal road/route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of the aṅguṣṭha-mātra/ātivāhika body and the Yama-mārga journey (nearby adhyāyas in Preta-khaṇḍa/Pretakalpa); Garuda Purana: discussions of subtle body, messengers of Yama, and post-death transit mechanics

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'thumb-sized' subtle body in Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that after death the jīva takes on a second, subtle embodiment described as aṅguṣṭha-same (thumb-sized), which becomes the vehicle for travel on Yama’s path and for experiencing karmic outcomes.

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

It frames the post-death journey as movement along Yama-mārga, where the soul ‘enters’ and ‘attains’ a new body that functions as its dwelling—implying a transition from the gross body to a subtle, journey-capable form.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and self-restraint, recognizing that desires and actions shape post-death experience; support dharmic conduct and appropriate śrāddha-related duties with a focus on ethical living and inner purification.