Shloka 106

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

महता पुण्ययोगेन मानुष्यं लब्धवानहम् / तृतीये मासि सम्प्राप्ते गन्धर्वनगरे शुभम्

Transliteration

mahatā puṇyayogena mānuṣyaṃ labdhavānaham / tṛtīye māsi samprāpte gandharvanagare śubham

Translation

By the powerful conjunction of accumulated merit, I attained a human state; and when the third month arrived, I reached the auspicious city of the Gandharvas.

Word by Word

• महता: by great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with पुण्ययोगेन)

• पुण्ययोगेन: by the conjunction/accumulation of merit
• पुण्ययोगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; (पुण्यस्य योगः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; करणम्

• मानुष्यं: human state/birth
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• लब्धवान्: having obtained
• लब्धवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लभ् (धातु) + क्त (लब्ध) + वत् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तरि-भूतकृदन्त (perfective possessive: ‘having obtained’)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तृतीये: in the third
• तृतीये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with मासि)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणे

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it) had arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √प्राप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘when (it) had arrived’

• गन्धर्वनगरे: in the city of the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वनगरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; (गन्धर्वाणां नगरम्) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; देशाधिकरणे

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (contextually predicative/elliptic)

Speaker

A departing soul (preta) narrating its journey; teaching context framed within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human birth is attained through great puṇya; recognition of its rarity is itself a moral awakening.

Vedantic Theme: Durlabha-mānuṣya-janma (rarity of human embodiment) as the privileged field for sādhanā; karma as the allocator of births and experiences.

Application: Use human life intentionally for dharma and liberation-oriented practice; cultivate gratitude and urgency rather than complacency.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: praise of human birth as rare and potent for sādhanā (common purāṇic motif); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: month-wise stations including gandharva-associated realms (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas

FAQs

What is the importance of punya (merit) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse states that a strong store of merit (puṇya-yoga) directly shapes the soul’s post-death experience, granting a favorable state and access to auspicious realms.

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

It presents the journey as time-marked (here, the third month) and realm-based, indicating progressive stations the subtle being reaches according to its karmic balance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate merit through dharmic living and supportive rites for ancestors; the teaching emphasizes that ethical actions have tangible consequences for one’s post-death trajectory.