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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 29

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

या स्त्री सवर्णा संशुबा मृतं पतिमनुव्रजेत् / सा मृता स्वर्गमाप्नोति वर्षाणां रोमसंख्यता

Transliteration

yā strī savarṇā saṃśubā mṛtaṃ patimanuvrajet / sā mṛtā svargamāpnoti varṣāṇāṃ romasaṃkhyatā

Translation

That woman who is of the same varṇa and of virtuous conduct, who follows her husband even in death—when she dies, she attains heaven for as many years as there are hairs on the body, for an immeasurably long time.

Word by Word
याwho (a woman)
या:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)
स्त्रीwoman
स्त्री:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
स-वर्णाof the same caste/varna
स-वर्णा:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (सह/सम-भावे); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
संशुभाvirtuous/auspicious
संशुभा:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम् + शुभ् (धातु) → संशुभ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; (पाठार्थः ‘सुशोभना/साध्वी’ इत्यर्थे)
मृतम्dead
मृतम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मृ धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (पतिम्)
पतिम्husband
पतिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन
अनुव्रजेत्should follow (in death)
अनुव्रजेत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअनु + व्रज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘should follow’
साshe
सा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अन्वादेश (correlative pronoun)
मृताhaving died/dead
मृता:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मृ धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सा)
स्वर्गम्heaven
स्वर्गम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
आप्नोतिattains
आप्नोति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआप् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
वर्षाणाम्of years
वर्षाणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन
रोम-संख्यता(for a duration) equal to the number of hairs
रोम-संख्यता:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootरोम (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या/संख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ता (तद्धित)
Formतत्पुरुष; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘-ता’ भाववाचक (abstract noun)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pativratā ideal: a virtuous wife ‘following’ the husband is praised as yielding vast svarga-phala.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma and karma-phala are powerful yet remain within samsaric reward; liberation is not explicitly taught here.

Application: Read as emphasizing loyalty and ethical steadfastness; in modern application, interpret ‘anugamana’ as unwavering support and shared dharmic life rather than self-harm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.38.30-32 (immediate continuation on anugamana and its fruits)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda

FAQs

This verse presents pativrata-oriented fidelity as a highly meritorious dharma, stating that such virtue yields an immense heavenly reward measured hyperbolically as “as many years as there are hairs.”

It links a specific dharmic conduct (virtuous devotion and ‘following’ the husband) with a specific post-death result—attaining svarga—showing the Purana’s karma-to-fruit mapping for afterlife outcomes.

Treat it as a call to steadfast ethical conduct and loyalty within one’s responsibilities; in modern practice, emphasize integrity, compassion, and dharmic living rather than literalizing harmful acts.

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