Shloka 63

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

एषामायुर्व्यर्थमेवं गतं च एषां दृष्ट्वा यौवनं तु ध्रुवं च / स्कन्धस्थमृत्युर्हसते कृष्ण विष्णो तं वै न जानन्ति विमूढचेतसः

Transliteration

eṣāmāyurvyarthamevaṃ gataṃ ca eṣāṃ dṛṣṭvā yauvanaṃ tu dhruvaṃ ca / skandhasthamṛtyurhasate kṛṣṇa viṣṇo taṃ vai na jānanti vimūḍhacetasaḥ

Translation

ដោយគិតថាយុវវ័យរបស់ខ្លួនប្រាកដថានឹងនៅយូរ អាយុកាលរបស់ពួកគេក៏ហូរចេញទៅដោយឥតប្រយោជន៍។ មរណៈដែលអង្គុយលើស្មារបស់ពួកគេ សើចចំអក—ឱ ព្រះវិṣṇu ពណ៌ខ្មៅ—តែចិត្តដែលល្ងង់ងងឹត មិនស្គាល់វាទេ។

Word by Word

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• व्यर्थम्: in vain
• व्यर्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this way)

• गतम्: has gone/spent
• गतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/spent’

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

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• ध्रुवम्: certain, fixed
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• स्कन्धस्थमृत्युः: death seated on the shoulder
• स्कन्धस्थमृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्कन्धे स्थितः मृत्यु:)

• हसते: laughs
• हसते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तम्: him/that (death)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थ

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध अव्यय

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विमूढचेतसः: those whose minds are deluded
• विमूढचेतसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि- (उपसर्ग) + मूढ (प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (विमूढं चेतः येषाम्)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Youth and certainty are illusions; death is imminent; ignorance prevents recognition—therefore awaken to Hari and pursue liberation-oriented living.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā and mṛtyu-smaraṇa as viveka; pramāda (heedlessness) as bondage; turning to Viṣṇu as refuge.

Application: Daily contemplation of mortality; prioritize sādhanā, reconciliation, and dharmic duties now rather than ‘later’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated mṛtyu-smaraṇa and urgency to perform dharma/dāna/bhakti before death; Garuda Purana Preta-kalpa: death as the gateway to Yama’s path

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of death-awareness in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that life becomes “wasted” when one assumes youth is permanent; remembering death prompts dharma, restraint, and timely spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain human ignorance about death?

It portrays death as already “on the shoulder,” meaning mortality is ever-present, yet people with deluded minds fail to recognize its nearness and live carelessly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat youth and health as uncertain; prioritize dharmic living, daily remembrance of impermanence, and meaningful duties (family, charity, discipline, devotion) without procrastination.