Shloka 8

Devanagari script

न दाता सुखदुः खानां न च हर्तास्ति कश्चन / भुञ्जते स्वकृतान्येव दुः खानि च सुखानि च

Transliteration

na dātā sukhaduḥ khānāṃ na ca hartāsti kaścana / bhuñjate svakṛtānyeva duḥ khāni ca sukhāni ca

Translation

No one else bestows happiness and sorrow, and no one else takes them away. Beings experience only the fruits of their own deeds—both sufferings and joys.

Word by Word

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

• दाता: giver
• दाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• दुःखानाम्: of sorrows
• दुःखानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

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

• हर्ता: taker/stealer (remover)
• हर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कश्चन: anyone
• कश्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चन (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• भुञ्जते: they experience/enjoy
• भुञ्जते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स्वकृतानि: one’s own deeds
• स्वकृतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘स्वेन कृतानि’ (done by oneself)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दुःखानि: sorrows
• दुःखानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

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

• सुखानि: happinesses/pleasures
• सुखानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sukha and duhkha are not granted or removed by another; beings experience the fruits of their own actions.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati; dissolution of external agency in favor of causal moral order (with Ishvara as regulator implied, not as arbitrary giver).

Application: Reduce blame and resentment; examine one’s actions, intentions, and habits; choose dharmic conduct to shape future experience.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated karma-phala doctrine used to explain gati, naraka, and svarga outcomes (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of karma in the Garuda Purana according to this verse?

It states that joy and suffering are not granted or removed by others; they arise from one’s own deeds, reinforcing karma as the primary moral law.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

It frames the after-death journey and experiences as consequences of one’s actions, implying that the soul’s post-mortem conditions follow its karmic record rather than arbitrary reward or punishment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Take responsibility for choices, reduce harmful actions, cultivate dharmic conduct, and accept outcomes as prompts for ethical correction rather than blaming others.