Shloka 40

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

कर्मजं देहमाश्रित्य पूर्वदेहं समुत्सजेत् / अङ्गुष्ठमात्रो वायुश्च शमीपत्रंसमारुहेत्

Transliteration

karmajaṃ dehamāśritya pūrvadehaṃ samutsajet / aṅguṣṭhamātro vāyuśca śamīpatraṃsamāruhet

Translation

Taking refuge in a body shaped by karma, the being abandons the former body. Becoming thumb-sized and borne along by the wind, it mounts upon a leaf of the śamī tree.

Word by Word

• कर्म-जम्: born of karma
• कर्म-जम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (जन् धातु + ड; तद्धित/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः जातः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (देहम्)

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to, taking refuge in
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्) → आश्रित्य
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पूर्व-देहम्: the former body
• पूर्व-देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुत्सजेत्: should abandon, should cast off
• समुत्सजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अङ्गुष्ठ-मात्रः: of thumb-size
• अङ्गुष्ठ-मात्रः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (परिमाण), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (वायुः)

• वायुः: wind; vital air
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• शमी-पत्रम्: a leaf of the śamī tree
• शमी-पत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शम्याः पत्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समारुहेत्: should climb/ascend
• समारुहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment is karma-generated; the jīva discards one body and assumes another suited to its post-mortem trajectory.

Vedantic Theme: Dehāntara-prāpti under karma; distinction between self and bodies (śarīra-traya perspective) implied though not explicitly taught.

Application: Contemplate impermanence of the physical body; prioritize dharma and inner cultivation over bodily identification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tree/vanaspati

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: thumb-sized preta form and wind-driven movement imagery; Garuda Purana: dehāntara and karmaja-śarīra descriptions

Characters & Entities

• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'karma-born body' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that after death the being depends on a body formed by its karma (a subtle, karma-shaped embodiment), which enables experience and movement after leaving the gross physical body.

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

It describes the immediate post-death transition: the former body is abandoned, and the being becomes extremely subtle (thumb-sized) and is carried by wind, indicating a non-physical mode of travel in the preta-state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes ethical living: actions shape one’s post-death condition. It also supports the rationale for Garuda Purana death rites—helping the departed in the transition after the gross body is left.