Shloka 1

Karma-vipāka: Truth, Yama’s Judgment, and the Marks of Sin in Rebirth

Devanagari script

प्रत्याब्दिकादिश्राद्धनिरूपणं नाम पञ्चचत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः तार्क्ष्य उवाच / सुकृतस्य प्रभावेण स्वर्गो नानाविधो नणाम् / भोगाः सौख्याति रूपञ्च बलं बुद्धैः पराक्रमः

Transliteration

pratyābdikādiśrāddhanirūpaṇaṃ nāma pañcacatvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ tārkṣya uvāca / sukṛtasya prabhāveṇa svargo nānāvidho naṇām / bhogāḥ saukhyāti rūpañca balaṃ buddhaiḥ parākramaḥ

Translation

Garuda said: By the power of meritorious deeds, humans attain diverse kinds of heaven; there arise enjoyments, happiness, beauty of form, strength, intelligence, and heroic prowess.

Word by Word

• प्रत्याब्दिक-आदि-श्राद्ध-निरूपणम्: the exposition of annual etc. śrāddhas
• प्रत्याब्दिक-आदि-श्राद्ध-निरूपणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्याब्दिक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शीर्षकवाचक

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक/संज्ञासूचक (particle: called/namely)

• पञ्चचत्वारिंशः: forty-fifth
• पञ्चचत्वारिंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चचत्वारिंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अध्यायस्य विशेषण

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तार्क्ष्यः: Tārkṣya (Garuda)
• तार्क्ष्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सुकृतस्य: of merit/good deed
• सुकृतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• प्रभावेण: by the power/effect
• प्रभावेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे (by/through)

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाना-विधः: of many kinds
• नाना-विधः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्वर्गस्य विशेषण

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• भोगाः: enjoyments
• भोगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सौख्याति: happiness/comfort
• सौख्याति: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पाठभेद/सन्ध्यन्त-रूप (intended: सौख्यं)

• रूपम्: beauty/form
• रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• बुद्धैः: by intellect(s) / with intelligence
• बुद्धैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; साधन/सहकारि (by means of intellect)

• पराक्रमः: valor/heroism
• पराक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Garuḍa (Tārkṣya, Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puṇya generates differentiated heavenly experiences and enhancements—bhoga, sukha, rūpa, bala, buddhi, parākrama.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of karmaphala within saṃsāra; even exalted rewards remain within the realm of guṇa and impermanence, implying the need for higher liberation beyond svarga.

Application: Cultivate puṇya through dharmic acts (including śrāddha, dāna, satya, ahiṃsā) while remembering that heavenly gains are results of conduct and are not ultimate.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.46 (pratyābdika/annual śrāddha framing; puṇya-phala discussion)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of sukṛta (merit) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that sukṛta directly shapes post-death outcomes: it becomes the causal power by which one attains various heavens and experiences refined enjoyments such as happiness, beauty, strength, intellect, and valor.

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

It frames the afterlife trajectory in terms of karma: meritorious actions mature into svarga-oriented results (bhoga and elevated capacities), setting the stage for later discussion on rites like pratyābdika-śrāddha that support dharmic continuity for the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sukṛta through ethical conduct, charity, service, and disciplined living; the text links such merit to higher well-being and auspicious results, reinforcing the value of dharma alongside rites such as annual śrāddha.