Shloka 106

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

अथयामि क्रमप्राप्तं प्रष्टु वा वर्तते स्पृहा

Transliteration

athayāmi kramaprāptaṃ praṣṭu vā vartate spṛhā

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ ക്രമപ്രാപ്തമായ വിഷയത്തെ ഞാൻ തുടരും; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ചോദിക്കാനുള്ള ആഗ്രഹമുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ നീ ചോദിക്കാം.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• यामि: I proceed/go
• यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• क्रम-प्राप्तम्: that which has come in order
• क्रम-प्राप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त; प्र-√आप् + त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘क्रमेण प्राप्तम्’ (reached in due order)

• प्रष्टुम्: to ask
• प्रष्टुम्: Purpose (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√श्ना/√प्रश् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of asking)

• वा: or
• वा: Conjunction (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• वर्तते: exists/arises
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स्पृहा: desire/curiosity
• स्पृहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पृहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra proceeds by sequence; inquiry (praśna) is sanctioned as a means to clarity.

Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa–manana: listening in order and asking questions to remove doubt (saṃśaya).

Application: Adopt structured study; ask precise questions when confused; proceed stepwise rather than mixing topics.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dialogue structure: repeated ‘pṛccha’ invitations and ‘krameṇa’ transitions between topics

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of a “sequential account” (kramaprāpta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse signals that the teaching is structured step-by-step, indicating that post-death topics and rites are to be understood in an ordered progression rather than randomly.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: it frames the discourse method—Vishnu will narrate the preta-journey and related rites in sequence, while allowing Garuda to interject with questions for clarity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach dharma and ancestral rites systematically—learn in order, and ask precise questions when uncertain, rather than relying on fragmented information.