Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 86

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

मानुष्यं लभ्यते कस्मादिति ब्रूते प्रसर्पति / महता पुण्ययोगेन मानुष्यं जन्म लभ्यते

Transliteration

mānuṣyaṃ labhyate kasmāditi brūte prasarpati / mahatā puṇyayogena mānuṣyaṃ janma labhyate

Translation

“Bagaimana keadaan sebagai manusia diperoleh?”—demikian ia bertanya dan menyelidiki. Dengan pertautan jasa kebajikan (puṇya) yang agung, kelahiran sebagai manusia diperoleh.

Word by Word

• मानुष्यं: human state / humanity
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; here as कर्म/विषय (object/theme)

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• कस्मात्: from what? / why?
• कस्मात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Case 5), एकवचन; हेतु/कारणार्थे (ablative of cause)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ब्रूते: says
• ब्रूते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रसर्पति: crawls/creeps about
• प्रसर्पति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृप् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महता: by great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), एकवचन; विशेषण (instrumental)

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

• मानुष्यं: human birth/state
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; कर्म/विषय

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; apposition to मानुष्यं

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human birth is obtained through a great accumulation/conjunction of merit (mahā-puṇya-yoga).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (lawful fruition of deeds) as the condition for embodied opportunity; human life as a privileged sādhana-kṣetra.

Application: Treat human life as earned capital: prioritize dharma, charity, and devotion rather than squandering time in negligence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring motif of durlabha-manuṣya-janma and karma-phala inevitability (adjacent verses 2.15.89–90)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of human birth in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames human birth as a hard-won result of great merit (puṇya), implying it is a precious opportunity for dharma and liberation-oriented living.

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

It indicates that rebirth into a human condition is not random; it is shaped by accumulated merit, aligning the soul’s next embodiment with its karmic balance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human life as a rare chance: cultivate puṇya through ethical conduct, charity, truthfulness, and dharmic duties rather than wasting the opportunity in heedlessness.