Shloka 28

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

रजोमात्रां तनु गृह्य क्षुदभूत्कोप एव च / क्षुत्तृट्क्षामा अमृग्भक्षा राक्षसा रक्षणाच्च ये

Transliteration

rajomātrāṃ tanu gṛhya kṣudabhūtkopa eva ca / kṣuttṛṭkṣāmā amṛgbhakṣā rākṣasā rakṣaṇācca ye

Translation

塵の一粒にも等しい身を取り、彼らは飢えによって憤怒する。飢えと渇きに責められ、疲労によりやせ衰えたその羅刹たちは—狩るにふさわしからぬ生きものを餌として生き—恐るべき道を襲い、また守り固めるために存する。

Word by Word

• रजोमात्राम्: a mere measure of dust
• रजोमात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रजसः मात्रा)

• तनु: body
• तनु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)

• गृह्य: having taken
• गृह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); अर्थः—‘गृहीत्वा’

• क्षुदभूत्कोपः: anger arisen from hunger
• क्षुदभूत्कोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (क्षुद्-भूतः) इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः, ततः तत्पुरुषः ‘क्षुदभूतः कोपः’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्षुत्तृट्क्षामाः: emaciated by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्तृट्क्षामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् + तृष्/तृट् + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (क्षुत्-तृट्-क्षामाः = क्षुधा तृष्णया च क्षामाः)

• अमृग्भक्षाः: not eating deer (i.e., eating other flesh)
• अमृग्भक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + मृग + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (मृगं न भक्ष्यं येषाम्/मृगं न भक्षयन्ति)

• राक्षसाः: Rakshasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• रक्षणात्: from protection/guarding
• रक्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment and experience (hunger, thirst, exhaustion) arise as consequences within the moral-cosmic order; frightening beings serve as instruments of karmic governance.

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāropa of cosmic administration over jīva’s saṃsāric passage; fear arises from identification with the body and its privations.

Application: Cultivate sattvic conduct and remembrance of Hari to reduce fear; practice compassion/non-violence and restraint to avoid karmic conditions associated with terror and predation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: liminal route/roadway

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of yamadūtas, fearful routes, and hunger/thirst motifs in the soul’s journey (general parallel themes)

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the importance of rākṣasas in the Garuda Purana’s afterlife narrative?

This verse portrays rākṣasas as fearsome beings on the post-death route who, driven by hunger and anger, function as enforcers/guards of the harsh passages that the departed may face due to karma.

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

It suggests that the journey is not merely symbolic: the departed encounters hostile forces (described as rākṣasas) that intensify fear and hardship, reflecting the consequences of one’s deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma—reduce harm and cruelty—since the text frames post-death suffering as karmically conditioned; it also supports the importance of proper śrāddha and death-rite observances for the departed.