Shloka 29

Mahābhārata-saṅkṣepa and Avatāra-kāraṇa

Brahmā’s Synopsis of the Epic and the Logic of Divine Descents

Devanagari script

यत्र ते पृथिवीपाला हताः पार्थेन संगरे / शोकसागरमासाद्य द्रोणो ऽपि स्वर्गमाप्तवान्

Transliteration

yatra te pṛthivīpālā hatāḥ pārthena saṃgare / śokasāgaramāsādya droṇo 'pi svargamāptavān

Translation

യുദ്ധത്തിൽ പാർഥൻ (അർജുനൻ) ഭൂമിപാല രാജാക്കളെ വധിച്ച അവിടെ, ദ്രോണനും ശോകസാഗരത്തിൽ മുങ്ങിയിട്ടും ഒടുവിൽ സ്വർഗ്ഗം പ്രാപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'they'

• पृथिवीपाला: kings (protectors of the earth)
• पृथिवीपाला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पृथिव्याः पालाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• हताः: slain
• हताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे 'slain'

• पार्थेन: by Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• संगरे: in battle
• संगरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• शोकसागरम्: ocean of grief
• शोकसागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शोकस्य सागरः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); 'having reached/attained'

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आप्तवान्: obtained/reached
• आप्तवान्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु) → आप्तवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (क्तवत्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग: 'obtained'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinatā-putra) [contextual attribution typical to Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue]

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even amid overwhelming grief and violent death, the fruit of one’s accumulated karma and role-bound duty can culminate in svarga-gati.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and gati; impermanence of embodied life contrasted with continuity of the jīva’s journey.

Application: Hold grief with discernment; perform one’s svadharma without hatred, and remember that outcomes unfold through karma and īśvara-niyati.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield (kṣetra)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes of gati (svarga/naraka) and karma-phala (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Droṇa
• Pṛthivīpālas (kings)

FAQs

What is the importance of svarga (heaven) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that svarga is presented as a karmic destination attainable even after intense worldly suffering, indicating that one’s ultimate post-death state is linked to merit and destiny rather than the presence or absence of grief.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By stating that Droṇa “attained heaven” despite being overwhelmed by sorrow, the verse implies that the soul’s trajectory after death follows accumulated karma and ordained outcome, not merely emotional condition at the time of crisis.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform your duties with integrity and cultivate merit through dharma; even when life brings grief and loss, sustained righteous conduct supports an auspicious end.