Shloka 3

Karma, Subtle-Body Formation, and the Route of Departure (Ūrdhva-mārga)

Devanagari script

प्रसादं कुरु मे मोहं छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः / काश्यपो ऽहं सुरश्रेष्ठ विनतागर्भ संभवः / यमलोकं कथं यान्ति विष्णुलोकं च मानवाः

Transliteration

prasādaṃ kuru me mohaṃ chettumarhasyaśeṣataḥ / kāśyapo 'haṃ suraśreṣṭha vinatāgarbha saṃbhavaḥ / yamalokaṃ kathaṃ yānti viṣṇulokaṃ ca mānavāḥ

Translation

“Be gracious to me and cut away my delusion completely. I am Kāśyapa’s son, O best among the gods, born from the womb of Vinatā. How do human beings go to Yama’s realm (Yama-loka), and how do they attain Viṣṇu’s realm (Viṣṇu-loka)?”}]}

Word by Word

• प्रसादम्: grace/favor
• प्रसादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कुरु इत्यस्य कर्म)

• कुरु: do/grant
• कुरु: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन; (मम/मह्यम्)

• मोहम्: delusion
• मोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (छेत्तुम् इत्यस्य कर्म)

• छेत्तुम्: to cut off/destroy
• छेत्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘छेदयितुम्’

• अर्हसि: you are able/ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अशेषतः: completely
• अशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (entirely/without remainder)

• काश्यपः: Kaśyapa (by lineage/name)
• काश्यपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘श्रेष्ठः सुरः’

• विनतागर्भ: (one) of Vinatā’s womb; born of Vinatā
• विनतागर्भ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनता (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘विनतायाः गर्भः/गर्भसम्बन्धी’ (as epithet)

• संभवः: born/originating
• संभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-भू (धातु) → संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘उत्पत्तिः/जन्म’ अथवा ‘सम्भवः’ = born/origin

• यमलोकम्: Yama’s world
• यमलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यमस्य लोकः’ षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• विष्णुलोकम्: Viṣṇu’s world
• विष्णुलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विष्णोः लोकः’ षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• मानवाः: humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seeking divine clarification to dispel moha; contrasting trajectories of beings toward Yama’s realm (karma-judgment) and Vishnu’s realm (liberation/beatitude).

Vedantic Theme: Kripa (grace) aiding removal of avidya/moha; gati-bheda (divergent destinies) according to karma and devotion; Vishnu as parama-gati.

Application: Adopt prayerful humility; study death/afterlife teachings to reduce fear; cultivate Vishnu-bhakti and ethical living to orient one’s ‘gati’ toward auspicious ends.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: otherworldly realms

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.11.1–2.11.2 (sequence of questions); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa narratives on Yama’s court, messengers, and routes; Vishnu-bhakti passages promising deliverance (sectional continuity)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Yama
• Kashyapa
• Vinata

FAQs

What is the importance of asking about Yamaloka and Vishnuloka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the core Preta Kanda inquiry: how karma leads a person toward Yama’s judgment-realm, while devotion and righteous living lead toward Viṣṇu’s realm.

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

It introduces two destinations—Yamaloka and Vishnuloka—implying that post-death movement depends on one’s life-choices and spiritual orientation, which the subsequent teaching clarifies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and reduce delusion (moha) through ethical conduct, remembrance of God, and sincere inquiry—so one’s life trends toward liberation rather than fear of judgment.