Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं भूतग्रामे चतुर्विधे / समुत्पत्तिर्विनाशश्च जायते तार्क्ष्य देहिनाम्

Transliteration

evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ bhūtagrāme caturvidhe / samutpattirvināśaśca jāyate tārkṣya dehinām

Translation

Thus the wheel of saṃsāra turns within the fourfold host of beings; and, O Tārkṣya (Garuḍa), for embodied creatures both birth and destruction arise.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• प्रवर्तितम्: set in motion/caused to proceed
• प्रवर्तितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु) → प्रवर्तित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘चक्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• चक्रम्: cycle/wheel
• चक्रम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भूत: of beings/elements
• भूत: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• ग्रामे: in the multitude/aggregate
• ग्रामे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘भूतग्रामे’ षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (in the collection of beings)

• चतुर्विधे: fourfold
• चतुर्विधे: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘चतुर्विध’ तत्पुरुषः (fourfold) ‘भूतग्रामे’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• समुत्पत्तिः: origination
• समुत्पत्तिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-उत्-√पद्/√पत् (धातु) → समुत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विनाशः: destruction
• विनाशः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तार्क्ष्य: O Tārkṣya (Garuda)
• तार्क्ष्य: सम्बोधन (Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन (vocative address)

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धे (of embodied beings)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃsāra operates as a wheel within the fourfold aggregate of beings; embodied beings undergo arising and passing away.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of nāma-rūpa; saṃsāra as repetitive manifestation-dissolution under karma and guṇa dynamics.

Application: Practice vairāgya and mindful living: treat gains/losses as transient turns of the wheel; invest in dharma and inner clarity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic-domain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated ‘cakra’ imagery for saṃsāra and karma-phala in later naraka and preta narratives

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Tarkshya)

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'chakra' (wheel) mentioned in this Garuda Purana verse?

It points to the recurring cycle governing embodied life—where beings repeatedly undergo arising (birth) and dissolution (death) as long as they remain within the conditioned aggregate of existence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death in the Garuda Purana context?

By emphasizing vināśa (dissolution) for dehins (embodied beings), it frames death as one phase of a larger cycle; the soul’s journey continues beyond bodily end, leading to further consequences and potential rebirth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness of impermanence: prioritize dharma and ethical conduct, reduce harmful actions that bind one to repeated birth-death cycles, and cultivate spiritual practices aimed at liberation.