Shloka 37

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

गुरुदेवर्षिसिद्धर्षिसेवनं साधुसंयमः / सत्क्रियाष्वसनं मैत्री स्वर्गस्य लक्षणं विदुः / अष्टाङ्गयोगविज्ञानात्प्राप्नोत्यात्यन्तिकं फलम्

Transliteration

gurudevarṣisiddharṣisevanaṃ sādhusaṃyamaḥ / satkriyāṣvasanaṃ maitrī svargasya lakṣaṇaṃ viduḥ / aṣṭāṅgayogavijñānātprāpnotyātyantikaṃ phalam

Translation

El servicio al guru, a los dioses, a los ṛṣis y a los videntes perfeccionados; el autodominio propio de los virtuosos; la firmeza en las obras rectas; y la amistad—se conocen como los signos del cielo. Y mediante el verdadero conocimiento del Aṣṭāṅga Yoga se alcanza el fruto supremo.

Word by Word

• गुरुदेवर्षिसिद्धर्षिसेवनम्: service to gurus, divine seers, and perfected seers
• गुरुदेवर्षिसिद्धर्षिसेवनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धर्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक; √सेव् (धातु) ल्युट्/अन-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थ-समासः (गुरूणां देवर्षीणां सिद्धर्षीणां च सेवनम्)

• साधुसंयमः: restraint of the virtuous / virtuous self-control
• साधुसंयमः: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक) + संयम (प्रातिपदिक; सम् + √यम् (धातु) घञ्/अ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (साधूनां संयमः / साधुः संयमः)

• सत्क्रियासु: in good deeds
• सत्क्रियासु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सत् क्रियाः)

• असनम्: eating/consumption (regulated conduct)
• असनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असन (प्रातिपदिक; √अस् (धातु) 'भक्षणे' / √अश् (धातु) 'भक्षणे'—पाठानुसार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'आसनम्/अशनम्' पाठभेदः सम्भवः

• मैत्री: friendliness
• मैत्री: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/mark
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicate nominal complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विदुः: they know
• विदुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अष्टाङ्गयोगविज्ञानात्: from knowledge of eight-limbed yoga
• अष्टाङ्गयोगविज्ञानात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान; 'from/by')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक; वि + √ज्ञा (धातु) घञ्/अ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अष्टाङ्गस्य योगस्य विज्ञानम्)

• प्राप्नोति: attains
• प्राप्नोति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आत्यन्तिकम्: ultimate/absolute
• आत्यन्तिकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्यन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (फलम्)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Service to guru/devas/ṛṣis/siddhas, virtuous restraint, steadfast righteous conduct, and friendliness are signs leading to heaven; Aṣṭāṅga Yoga-jñāna yields the supreme fruit beyond ordinary rewards.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of goals: svarga as karmic reward vs. atyantika-phala as higher consummation; yoga as means to inner mastery and liberation-oriented realization.

Application: Honor teachers and elders; cultivate self-control and consistent ethical practice; maintain friendliness; undertake disciplined yoga (yama-niyama etc.) under guidance, aiming beyond status/reward toward inner freedom.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: svarga/naraka markers and virtue lists; Garuda Purana: yoga and liberation-oriented teachings where present

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Devas
• Rishis
• Siddharishis

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘marks of heaven’ (svarga-lakṣaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines heaven not merely as a place, but as the outcome of cultivated virtues—service to the wise and divine, self-restraint, righteous conduct, and benevolence—making ethical life itself the pathway to svarga.

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

It links posthumous well-being (svarga) to dharmic qualities developed in life, and then points beyond heaven to the ‘ultimate fruit’ attained through realized knowledge of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily discipline (saṃyama), commit to honest and beneficial actions (satkriyā), cultivate friendly goodwill (maitrī), and learn authentic yoga as a means to inner purification and higher spiritual attainment.