Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणि मनः प्राणा ज्ञानमायुः सुखं धृतिः / धारणा प्रेरणं दुः खं मिथ्याहङ्कार एव च

Transliteration

indriyāṇi manaḥ prāṇā jñānamāyuḥ sukhaṃ dhṛtiḥ / dhāraṇā preraṇaṃ duḥ khaṃ mithyāhaṅkāra eva ca

Translation

The senses, the mind, the vital breaths (prāṇa), knowledge, lifespan, happiness, steadfastness; concentration, impulse, sorrow, and indeed false ego—these too belong to the make-up of embodied experience.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सूचीकरणे (enumeration)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्राणाः: vital breaths
• प्राणाः: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सुखम्: happiness/pleasure
• सुखम्: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• धृतिः: steadfastness
• धृतिः: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• धारणा: retention/holding
• धारणा: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रेरणम्: impulsion/instigation
• प्रेरणम्: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दुःखम्: sorrow/pain
• दुःखम्: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मिथ्या: false
• मिथ्या: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथ्या (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण/विशेषणार्थे; ‘अहङ्कार’ इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थे (false)

• अहङ्कारः: ego-sense
• अहङ्कारः: कर्ता (Nominative listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment includes senses, mind, prāṇas, knowledge, lifespan, pleasure, endurance, concentration, impulse, sorrow, and false ego.

Vedantic Theme: Anātma-viveka: these changing faculties are not the ultimate Self; ahaṅkāra as a key binder.

Application: Practice self-observation: distinguish awareness from mental states; reduce identification with pleasure/sorrow and egoic narratives.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner psycho-physical field (antahkaraṇa/indriya domain)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana subtle-body discussions around 2.46 (indriya, prāṇa, ahaṅkāra)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing mind, senses, prana, and false ego in the Garuda Purana?

This verse itemizes the inner instruments and experiences that constitute embodied life—showing that pleasure, pain, and the sense of ‘I’ arise from subtle factors like mind, prana, and mithyā-ahaṅkāra rather than from the pure Self.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, such enumerations clarify what continues to function in subtle form after death—mind, prana-force, impulses, and ego-notions—shaping the preta’s experiences and the fruits of karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Train dhāraṇā (concentration) and dhṛti (steadfastness), observe how impulses (preraṇa) and false ego generate duḥkha, and live with restraint of the senses—reducing karmic entanglement and mental suffering.