Shloka 68

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

निष्क्रामंश्चोदरान्मूर्छामसह्यां प्रतिपद्यते / प्राप्नोति चेतनां चासौ वायुस्पर्शसुखान्वितः

Transliteration

niṣkrāmaṃścodarānmūrchāmasahyāṃ pratipadyate / prāpnoti cetanāṃ cāsau vāyusparśasukhānvitaḥ

Translation

മാതാവിന്റെ ഗർഭത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പുറത്തുവരുന്ന ഉടനെ ജീവൻ സഹിക്കാനാകാത്ത മൂർച്ചയിൽ ആകുന്നു. പിന്നെ ബോധം വീണ്ടെടുത്തു, പുതുവായുവിന്റെ സ്പർശസുഖം അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു॥

Word by Word

• निष्क्रामन्: going out, emerging
• निष्क्रामन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• उदरात्: from the belly/womb
• उदरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• मूर्छाम्: faintness, swoon
• मूर्छाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• असह्याम्: unbearable
• असह्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying मूर्छाम्)

• प्रतिपद्यते: attains, falls into, experiences
• प्रतिपद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• प्राप्नोति: obtains, regains
• प्राप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• चेतनाम्: consciousness
• चेतनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• असौ: he, that one
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वायु-स्पर्श-सुख-अन्वितः: endowed with the pleasure of the touch of air
• वायु-स्पर्श-सुख-अन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष), विशेषण (qualifying असौ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodied life begins in helplessness; consciousness re-arises with prāṇa and sensory contact, showing dependence of ordinary awareness on bodily conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Dehātmabhrānti vs. sākṣī-caitanya; prāṇa/indriya-upādhi conditioning of vyāvahārika consciousness.

Application: Cultivate humility and vairāgya by reflecting on the helplessness at birth; practice breath-awareness (prāṇa-smṛti) as a doorway to steadier discernment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: womb/birth-threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.69-72 (māyā, life-stages, saṃsāra-cakra, svarga/naraka)

Characters & Entities

• Jiva
• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of describing birth experiences in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights the intense shock of birth and the return of awareness, reinforcing the Purana’s teaching that embodied life begins with suffering and conditioned consciousness, motivating detachment and dharmic living.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul (jiva)?

It portrays the jiva’s transition into embodiment: after exiting the womb it undergoes a moment of unbearable fainting, then consciousness returns with the sensation of air-touch—showing how awareness re-arises through bodily conditions (prana/vayu and sensory contact).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Remembering that life begins with vulnerability and suffering encourages compassion, restraint from harm, and a focus on dharma and spiritual practice rather than mere sensory pursuit.