Shloka 37

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

शरीरं काष्ठामादत्ते पापं पुण्यं सह व्रजेत् / तस्मादाशु त्वया सम्यगात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता

Transliteration

śarīraṃ kāṣṭhāmādatte pāpaṃ puṇyaṃ saha vrajet / tasmādāśu tvayā samyagātmanaḥ śreya icchatā

Translation

ശരീരം വിറകുപോലെ എടുത്തുകൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നു; പക്ഷേ പാപവും പുണ്യവും ആത്മാവിനോടൊപ്പം തന്നെ പോകുന്നു. അതിനാൽ സ്വന്തം ശ്രേയസ്സു ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ ഉടൻ സന്മാർഗത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काष्ठम्: wood
• काष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आदत्ते: takes, accepts
• आदत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पापम्: sin, evil
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुण्यम्: merit, virtue
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सह: with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक (Prepositional indeclinable: 'with')

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Upasaṃhāra (Therefore)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपं कारणार्थे (Ablative used adverbially: 'therefore/from that reason')

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb: 'quickly')

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥/Agent (Agent in instruction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, सर्वनाम (2nd person)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb: 'properly')

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रेयः: the good, welfare
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इच्छता: by (one) desiring
• इच्छता: Kartr̥ (Agent as participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body becomes mere wood for the pyre; merit and sin accompany the jīva—therefore act quickly for true welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Dehābhimāna-bheda (disidentification from body); karma as subtle companion; śreyas-oriented urgency.

Application: Adopt daily ethical audit, repentance and reform, charity, and devotion; prioritize actions with lasting spiritual consequence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cremation ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated assertion that karma follows; exhortations to act ‘āśu’ (quickly) before death

Characters & Entities

• Atman

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (pāpa and puṇya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the body ends in cremation like mere wood, but pāpa and puṇya accompany the soul, making karma the decisive factor for one’s post-death experience.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It contrasts the perishable body with the continuing moral account of actions; the soul departs carrying merit and sin, which then shape its journey and outcomes described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize dharmic conduct now—reduce harmful actions, cultivate virtue, and live with urgency and clarity—because only one’s deeds meaningfully “go with” the self beyond death.