Shloka 22

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

तदा द्रावमवाप्नोति योषागर्भाशये नरः / रक्ताधिक्ये भवेन्नारी शुक्राधिक्ये भवेत् पुमान्

Transliteration

tadā drāvamavāpnoti yoṣāgarbhāśaye naraḥ / raktādhikye bhavennārī śukrādhikye bhavet pumān

Translation

Then, within the woman’s womb, the embodied being attains a fluid state. When the mother’s blood predominates, a female is born; when the father’s semen predominates, a male is born.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• द्रावम्: fluid/liquefaction
• द्रावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्राव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: obtains/reaches
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• योषागर्भाशये: in the woman’s womb
• योषागर्भाशये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषा (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भाशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (योषायाः गर्भाशयः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• नरः: the man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रक्ताधिक्ये: when blood predominates
• रक्ताधिक्ये: Nimitta (Cause/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आधिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (रक्तस्य आधिक्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/निमित्त), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नारी: a woman (female)
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुक्राधिक्ये: when semen predominates
• शुक्राधिक्ये: Nimitta (Cause/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आधिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुक्रस्य आधिक्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/निमित्त), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुमान्: a man (male)
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodied differentiation (including sex) is explained via predominance of maternal blood or paternal semen, within the broader karmic and material causality of birth.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa/pariṇāma logic applied to embodiment; individual birth-conditions arise from complex causes (nimitta and upādāna) under karmic governance.

Application: Approach birth and sex with humility toward multifactor causality; avoid superstition-driven blame; emphasize care for mother and child regardless of outcome.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: intrauterine space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: garbha-śarīra and birth-causation passages (general internal echo)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of embryology in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames conception and bodily formation as part of the jiva’s embodied journey, explaining how physical sex is described through relative predominance of maternal blood and paternal semen.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It situates the jiva’s entry into embodied life by describing the early fetal condition (“fluid state”) in the womb, linking the soul’s ongoing karmic journey to the mechanics of birth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages reverence for prenatal life and ethical conduct by reminding that embodiment is a sacred, law-governed process within the broader karmic cycle described in the Garuda Purana.