Shloka 26

Devanagari script

शरीरं वह्निरादत्ते सुकृतं दुष्कृतं व्रजेत् / शरीरं वह्निना दग्धं पुण्यं पापं सह स्थितम्

Transliteration

śarīraṃ vahnirādatte sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ vrajet / śarīraṃ vahninā dagdhaṃ puṇyaṃ pāpaṃ saha sthitam

Translation

Fire takes away only the physical body; one’s good deeds and evil deeds proceed onward. Though the body is burned by fire, merit and sin remain together with the departing being and are not destroyed.

Word by Word

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आदत्ते: takes away
• आदत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'takes away/seizes'

• सुकृतम्: merit
• सुकृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'merit'

• दुष्कृतम्: demerit
• दुष्कृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुस्-कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'demerit'

• व्रजेत्: goes/proceeds
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'would go/should go'

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वह्निना: by fire
• वह्निना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• दग्धम्: burnt
• दग्धम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दह् (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'burnt'

• पुण्यम्: merit/virtue
• पुण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सह: together (with)
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय/सह-योगे (adverb/preposition-like indeclinable: 'together with')

• स्थितम्: remain(s)
• स्थितम्: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्था (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'remaining/standing'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue, instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Agni consumes the body only; puṇya and pāpa accompany the jīva and remain operative.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma-śarīra continuity and karma-saṃskāra; distinction between gross body (sthūla) and subtle causal continuity.

Application: Live with awareness that actions outlast the body; adopt ethical restraint, charity, and devotion as ‘portable wealth’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cremation_ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: karma as the traveler’s companion; cremation and post-mortem journey teachings in Pretakalpa sections (general internal resonance).

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

What is the importance of cremation (antyeṣṭi) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse clarifies that cremation disposes of the gross body, but it does not erase karma; therefore rites are performed with awareness that the departed continues with accumulated merit and sin.

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

It states that while Agni consumes the physical body, the moral record—puṇya and pāpa—moves onward with the departing being, shaping the post-death journey and experiences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically and perform duties mindfully: external rituals cannot substitute for conduct, because one’s actions (good or bad) remain effective beyond death.