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Shloka 5

Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka

Grief

ग्रीवया तु मुनिश्रेष्ठ नरमाप्रोत्यनुत्तमम्‌ । विश्वेदवान्‌ मुखेनाथ दिश: श्रोत्रेण चाप्रुयात्‌

grīvayā tu muniśreṣṭha naram āprotya anuttamam | viśvedevān mukhenātha diśaḥ śrotreṇa cāpruyāt ||

ಕಂಠ (ಗ್ರೀವಾ) ಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ಪ್ರಾಣ ಹೊರಟರೆ, ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಮುನಿಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾದ ಆ ಅನುತ್ತಮ ನರನ ಸಾನ್ನಿಧ್ಯವನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮುಖಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ದೇಹತ್ಯಾಗ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ವಿಶ್ವೇದೇವರನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಶ್ರೋತ್ರ (ಕಿವಿ) ಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ಹೊರಟರೆ ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳ ಅಧಿಷ್ಠಾತೃ ದೇವತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ.

ग्रीवयाby (the) neck
ग्रीवया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootग्रीवा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
मुनिश्रेष्ठम्the best of sages
मुनिश्रेष्ठम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमुनिश्रेष्ठ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नरम्man/person
नरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आप्रोत्यhaving reached/attained
आप्रोत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआप् + √प्राप्
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
अनुत्तमम्unsurpassed, supreme
अनुत्तमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुत्तम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विश्वेदेवान्the Viśvedevas (all-gods)
विश्वेदेवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविश्वेदेव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
मुखेनby/through the mouth
मुखेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमुख
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
अथthen/and
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
दिशःthe directions (quarters)
दिशः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदिश्
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
श्रोत्रेणby/through the ear
श्रोत्रेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootश्रोत्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
आप्नुयात्would attain/should attain
आप्नुयात्:
TypeVerb
Root√आप् (आप्नु)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Y
Yājñavalkya
M
muniśreṣṭha (addressed sage)
N
Nara (the ‘Best of Men’/supreme man)
V
Viśvedevas
D
Diśaḥ (Directions) and their presiding deities

Educational Q&A

The verse links the ‘exit-route’ of the life-breath at death with distinct post-mortem destinations, presenting a karmic-cosmological map in which the manner of departure corresponds to specific divine realms or presences.

In a didactic discourse attributed to Yājñavalkya, the speaker instructs a revered sage about outcomes after death, specifying what divine association is attained when prāṇa departs via the neck, mouth, or ear.