Shloka 1

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

यमलोकविस्तृतिदृवर्णनं नाम त्रयस्त्रिंशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / शृणु तार्क्ष्य यथान्यायं धर्माधर्म्स्य लक्षणम् / सुकृतं दुष्कृतं नॄणामग्रे धावति धावताम्

Transliteration

yamalokavistṛtidṛvarṇanaṃ nāma trayastriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / śṛṇu tārkṣya yathānyāyaṃ dharmādharmsya lakṣaṇam / sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ nṝṇāmagre dhāvati dhāvatām

Translation

ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ താർക്ഷ്യ, നീതിയനുസരിച്ച് ധർമ്മവും അധർമ്മവും ഉള്ള ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കുക. മനുഷ്യരുടെ പുണ്യവും പാപവും അവർ പോകുന്നതുപോലെ അവരുടെ മുമ്പേ മുന്നേ ഓടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यमलोकविस्तृतिदृवर्णनम्: (the section) ‘description of the extent/vision of Yamaloka’
• यमलोकविस्तृतिदृवर्णनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-लोक-विस्तृति-दृक्-वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक; यम + लोक + विस्तृति + दृक् + वर्णन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शीर्षक-रूपेण (as a title)

• नाम: named/called
• नाम: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (particle: ‘called’)

• त्रयस्त्रिंशः: thirty-third
• त्रयस्त्रिंशः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयस्-त्रिंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal sense: thirty-third)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + कृष्ण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तार्क्ष्य: O Tārkṣya
• तार्क्ष्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (as/according to)

• न्यायम्: proper rule; propriety
• न्यायम्: Karma/Adverbial (कर्म/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (used adverbially: ‘properly’)

• धर्माधर्मस्य: of dharma and adharma
• धर्माधर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + अधर्म)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (collective: of dharma and adharma)

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/definition
• लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सुकृतम्: good deed/merit
• सुकृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-कृत (प्रातिपदिक; सु + कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दुष्कृतम्: bad deed/demerit
• दुष्कृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्-कृत (प्रातिपदिक; दुष् + कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नॄणाम्: of men
• नॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• अग्रे: ahead; before (them)
• अग्रे: Desha-Kala Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial locative: ‘in front/before’)

• धावति: runs
• धावति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धावताम्: of those who run
• धावताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धाव् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Lord Vishnu) addressing Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit and demerit precede the doer; dharma and adharma have discernible lakṣaṇas and operate with nyāya (justice).

Vedantic Theme: Karma as an impersonal moral order (ṛta/nyāya) shaping destiny; impetus toward viveka (discernment).

Application: Before acting, evaluate dharmic markers (harm/non-harm, truth, fairness); maintain ethical habits since consequences ‘go before’ you.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: chapters on dharma/adharma lakṣaṇas and their fruits in Yamaloka; Garuda Purana: repeated motif of karma accompanying the jīva after death

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)
• Dharma
• Adharma

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (sukṛta and duṣkṛta) in the Garuda Purana’s afterlife teaching?

This verse states that one’s merit and sin go ahead of the person, implying that post-death experiences in Yama’s domain are governed primarily by accumulated actions rather than status or claims.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in relation to Yama’s realm?

By saying deeds ‘run ahead,’ it frames the soul’s journey as morally pre-conditioned: what is encountered in Yamaloka aligns with dharma/adharma already generated by the person.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharmic conduct and reduce harmful actions, remembering that consequences are carried forward; daily ethical choices are portrayed as shaping one’s future trajectory.