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Shloka 121

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

एवं सोमे तथा वायौ भूम्याकाशशरीरग: । सरागस्तत्र वसति गुणांस्तेषां समाचरन्‌,इसी प्रकार संहिताका जप करनेवाला पुरुष रागयुक्त होनेपर चन्द्रलोक, वायुलोक, भूमिलोक तथा अन्तरिक्षलोकके योग्य शरीर धारण करके वहाँ निवास करता है और उन लोकोंमें रहनेवाले पुरुषोंके गुणोंका आचरण करता रहता है

evaṃ some tathā vāyau bhūmyākāśaśarīragaḥ | sarāgas tatra vasati guṇāṃs teṣāṃ samācaran ||

ഇങ്ങനെ സംഹിത ജപിക്കുന്നവൻ രാഗസഹിതനായിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ ചന്ദ്രലോകം, വായുലോകം, ഭൂലോകം, അന്തരീക്ഷലോകം എന്നിവയ്ക്ക് യോജിച്ച ദേഹം ധരിച്ചു അവിടെ വസിക്കുന്നു; ആ ലോകങ്ങളിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന ജീവികളുടെ സ്വഭാവഗുണങ്ങളെ അനുസരിച്ച് ആചരിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു.

एवम्thus, in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
सोमेin the moon-world / in Soma
सोमे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसोम
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
तथाand likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
वायौin the wind-world / in Vayu
वायौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवायु
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
भूमि-आकाश-शरीरगःone who has a body suited to earth and sky (intermediate space)
भूमि-आकाश-शरीरगः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशरीरग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स-रागःwith attachment/passion
स-रागः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसराग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
वसतिdwells, resides
वसति:
TypeVerb
Rootवस्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
गुणान्qualities, traits
गुणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
तेषाम्of those (beings/people there)
तेषाम्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
समाचरन्practising, observing, behaving (accordingly)
समाचरन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + चर्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

विरूप उवाच

V
Virūpa (speaker)
S
Soma (lunar realm/deity)
V
Vāyu (wind realm/deity)
B
Bhūmi (earth realm)
Ā
Ākāśa / Antarikṣa (space/mid-region)

Educational Q&A

Even meritorious practice (such as japa/recitation) yields destinations shaped by one’s inner attachment: with rāga still present, one attains various realms and continues to mirror the guṇas (dispositions) prevalent there. The verse stresses that liberation requires purification from attachment, not practice alone.

Virūpa describes the post-mortem trajectory of a practitioner: the reciter, if still passionate/attached, takes on bodies appropriate to the lunar, airy, earthly, and mid-space realms, resides in them, and behaves according to the qualities of their inhabitants—illustrating a cosmological map tied to ethical psychology.