Shloka 3
Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa
निर्गतं कर्मसंयुक्तं दत्तं तासां महा बलम् / तथा विष्णुः शरीरस्थो न करोति हितं नणाम्
nirgataṃ karmasaṃyuktaṃ dattaṃ tāsāṃ mahā balam / tathā viṣṇuḥ śarīrastho na karoti hitaṃ naṇām
When the embodied being departs, it goes forth bound to its karma, and to those karmic forces great power is thereby given. Likewise, even though Viṣṇu dwells within the body, He bestows no benefit upon people who do not align themselves with dharma and meritorious action.
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: At death the jīva proceeds bound to karma; mere indwelling divinity is not automatically efficacious without right orientation—human effort/merit and alignment matter.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha and the necessity of adhikāra/sādhana; antaryāmin presence does not negate moral causality; grace is not mechanical without receptivity.
Application: Live with karmic accountability: cultivate dharma, reduce harmful actions, and actively align with the indwelling Vishnu through devotion and ethical conduct rather than relying on passive belief.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes: the jīva’s post-mortem movement shaped by karma; emphasis on ethical preparation before death
FAQs
This verse states that at departure one goes forth bound to karma, and that karma gains decisive power—meaning post-death experience is primarily shaped by one’s own actions and their results.
It emphasizes that the departing being carries karmic bonds forward; those karmic results operate with great force, guiding what the soul undergoes beyond death rather than arbitrary external favor.
Live with dharma and cultivate puṇya through ethical conduct, charity, and devotion; do not rely on mere proximity to sacredness—inner alignment and right action are presented as essential.