Shloka 30

Mahābhārata-saṅkṣepa and Avatāra-kāraṇa

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

Devanagari script

ततः कर्णा ययौ योद्धुमर्जुनेन मिहात्मना / दिनद्वयं महायुद्धं कृत्वा पार्थास्त्रसागरे / निमग्नः सूर्यलोकन्तु ततः प्राप स वीर्यवान्

Transliteration

tataḥ karṇā yayau yoddhumarjunena mihātmanā / dinadvayaṃ mahāyuddhaṃ kṛtvā pārthāstrasāgare / nimagnaḥ sūryalokantu tataḥ prāpa sa vīryavān

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം കർണ്ണൻ മഹാത്മാവായ അർജുനനോടു യുദ്ധിക്കുവാൻ പുറപ്പെട്ടു. രണ്ടു ദിവസം മഹായുദ്ധം നടത്തി പാർഥന്റെ അസ്ത്രസാഗരത്തിൽ മുങ്ങി, ആ വീരൻ പിന്നെ സൂര്യലോകം പ്രാപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (पाठे 'कर्णा' इति; अर्थतः कर्णः)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• योद्धुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); 'to fight'

• अर्जुनेन: with/against Arjuna
• अर्जुनेन: Sahakari/Pratiyogi (Opponent/सहकारी-प्रतियोगी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• मिहात्मना: of mighty self (valiant)
• मिहात्मना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिहात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (अर्जुनेन इत्यस्य)

• दिनद्वयम्: two days
• दिनद्वयम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (द्वे दिने); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• महायुद्धम्: great battle
• महायुद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् युद्धम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done/fought
• कृत्वा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); 'having done'

• पार्थास्त्रसागरे: in the ocean of Partha's weapons
• पार्थास्त्रसागरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पार्थस्य अस्त्राणि; तेषां सागरः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• निमग्नः: sank
• निमग्नः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मज्ज् (धातु) → निमग्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावे 'sunk/immersed'

• सूर्यलोकम्: the Sun-world
• सूर्यलोकम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सूर्यस्य लोकः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'thereafter/from there'

• प्राप: reached/attained
• प्राप: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वीर्यवान्: valiant
• वीर्यवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (सः इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A warrior’s end in battle can culminate in a specific celestial gati (here Sūryaloka), suggesting differentiated posthumous destinations shaped by karma, affiliations, and merit.

Vedantic Theme: Hierarchy of lokas within saṃsāra; gati as karmically conditioned (not final liberation).

Application: Recognize that achievements and defeats are transient; orient life toward higher aims beyond status—use duty as discipline, not as identity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield (kṣetra)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana cosmological loka descriptions (general parallel); Garuda Purana karma-phala and gati discussions (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Karṇa
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Sūryaloka

FAQs

What is the importance of Sūryaloka in the Garuda Purana?

In this verse Sūryaloka is presented as a higher celestial destination attained after death, indicating a meritorious posthumous realm connected with the Sun deity and earned through one’s accumulated karma and qualities.

How does this verse explain the soul’s path after death?

By stating that Karṇa ‘attained Sūryaloka,’ the verse illustrates the Garuda Purana theme that after death beings reach specific lokas (realms) aligned with their deeds, dispositions, and spiritual associations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma—courage, integrity, and disciplined action—because the text frames after-death outcomes as consequences of one’s lived qualities and karmic record.