Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कुशलाकुशलैः प्रपूर्यमाणाः प्रतिबद्धाः प्रतिसत्क्रियाप्रयोगैः / गुणदोषसमुद्भवं लभन्ते मणयोर्ऽथोन्तरमूल्यमेव भिन्नाः

Transliteration

kuśalākuśalaiḥ prapūryamāṇāḥ pratibaddhāḥ pratisatkriyāprayogaiḥ / guṇadoṣasamudbhavaṃ labhante maṇayor'thontaramūlyameva bhinnāḥ

Translation

Filled by auspicious and inauspicious influences, and bound by the repeated performance of rites and deeds, beings come to gain the fruits born of merit and fault—just as gems, though diverse, differ only in their value in the world.

Word by Word

• kuśala-akuśalaiḥ: by good and bad (factors)
• kuśala-akuśalaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक) + akuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्वसमास (copulative)

• prapūryamāṇāḥ: being filled
• prapūryamāṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√pṝ (धातु) (पूरणे)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present passive participle/शानच्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pratibaddhāḥ: bound/fastened
• pratibaddhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-√bandh (धातु) (बन्धने)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• prati-satkriyā-prayogaiḥ: by applications of proper treatment/processing
• prati-satkriyā-prayogaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + satkriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + prayoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative)

• guṇa-doṣa-samudbhavam: the arising of qualities and faults
• guṇa-doṣa-samudbhavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषसमास

• labhante: they obtain
• labhante: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (धातु) (लाभे)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• maṇayoḥ: of the two gems
• maṇayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• atha: then/indeed
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/conjunctive)

• antara-mūlyam: different value (difference in price)
• antara-mūlyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक) + mūlya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc., 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयसमास

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• bhinnāḥ: different/separated
• bhinnāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhid (धातु) (भेदने)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beings accrue outcomes born of merit and fault through repeated acts/rites; differences manifest as differing ‘value’ (phala) like gems of varying worth.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-vyavastha under moral causality; relative valuation in samsara contrasted with the implicit need for discernment (viveka).

Application: Audit one’s recurring actions and ritual habits; reduce dosa-producing conduct, cultivate guna (sattva) so that one’s ‘value’ (character and destiny) improves.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa discussions on karma-phala and yama-vicara (general thematic parallel); Garuda Purana sections on dana/vrata as auspicious causes (general thematic parallel)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (kuśala and akuśala) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames destiny as being ‘filled’ by both meritorious and sinful influences, showing that outcomes arise directly from one’s accumulated virtues (guṇa) and faults (doṣa).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It highlights conditioning: the soul’s experience is shaped by repeated actions and rites, which bind the being to corresponding results—higher or lower—according to merit and sin.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat every repeated habit—ethical conduct, charity, worship, or harmful behavior—as karmic “polishing”: it steadily changes your future outcomes, just as qualities determine a gem’s value.