Shloka 47

Sat-saṅga, Dharma-Nīti, Karma-Phala, Śauca, and Vairāgya

Overcoming Grief

Devanagari script

एकसार्थप्रयाताना सर्वेषान्तत्र गामिनाम् / यस्त्वेकस्त्वरितो याति का तत्र परिवेदना

Transliteration

ekasārthaprayātānā sarveṣāntatra gāminām / yastvekastvarito yāti kā tatra parivedanā

Translation

എല്ലാവരും ഒരേ സാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഒരേ ലക്ഷ്യത്തിലേക്ക് യാത്ര ചെയ്യുമ്പോൾ, ഒരാൾ മാത്രം വേഗത്തിൽ ഒറ്റയ്ക്ക് മുന്നോട്ട് പോയാൽ, അതിൽ ദുഃഖിക്കാനുള്ള കാരണമെന്ത്?

Word by Word

• एक: of (those) one
• एक: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; 'सार्थप्रयातानाम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (gen. pl. adjective)

• सार्थ: caravan, company
• सार्थ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपदम् (member of compound)

• प्रयातानाम्: of those who have set out together in one caravan
• प्रयातानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra√yā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → prayāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'एकसार्थप्रयातानाम्' = एकसार्थे प्रयातानाम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'गामिनाम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'there')

• गामिनाम्: of the goers/travellers
• गामिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gam (धातु) + in (इन्) → gāmin (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'गामिन्' = गच्छति इति (agent noun)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• एकः: alone, one
• एकः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'यः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्वरितः: hastened, quickly
• त्वरितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvarita (प्रातिपदिक; √tvar (धातु) + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• का: what (is)
• का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• परिवेदना: lamentation, grief
• परिवेदना: Karta (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari-vedanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Non-grief through right view: separation is temporal; the journey is common and departure order is not a cause for lament.

Vedantic Theme: Vairāgya and viveka; loosening identification with bodily presence and social proximity.

Application: In bereavement, reframe death as ‘going ahead’ rather than ‘being lost’; cultivate equanimity and redirect energy to prayer, remembrance, and righteous living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: metaphorical (caravan route)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: consolatory passages on inevitability of death and futility of śoka (contextual cluster around 1.113)

FAQs

What is the importance of detachment from grief in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames death as a shared, inevitable journey; excessive lamentation is portrayed as unnecessary when everyone is headed to the same end.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By using the metaphor of a caravan, it suggests that beings move along a common course; one departing earlier is simply moving ahead on that same route.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Accept impermanence, reduce despair during bereavement, and focus on dharmic actions and supportive rites rather than prolonged, debilitating mourning.