Shloka 35

Nirūpaṇa (Nāḍī–Svara-Nirūpaṇam): Breath Currents, Omens, and Action-Timing

Devanagari script

सा दिशा जयमाप्नोति शून्ये भङ्गं विनिर्दिशेत् / जातचारे जयं विद्यान्मृतके मृतमादिशेत्

Transliteration

sā diśā jayamāpnoti śūnye bhaṅgaṃ vinirdiśet / jātacāre jayaṃ vidyānmṛtake mṛtamādiśet

Translation

Arah itu membawa kemenangan; jika terlihat kekosongan, hendaklah diramalkan keretakan atau kehilangan. Dalam upacara kelahiran, hendaklah ditafsirkan kemenangan; dalam upacara kematian, hendaklah dinyatakan kematian.

Word by Word

• सा: that (she/that)
• सा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun) विशेषणरूपेण

• दिशा: direction
• दिशा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्/दिशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जयम्: victory
• जयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• शून्ये: in emptiness/void
• शून्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• भङ्गम्: breakage/defeat
• भङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विनिर्दिशेत्: should indicate/predict
• विनिर्दिशेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; उपसर्गः वि+नि

• जातचारे: in the (newly) arisen movement/omen
• जातचारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात+चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) = जाते चारे (locative sense); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• जयम्: victory
• जयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विद्यात्: should know/should conclude
• विद्यात्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• मृतके: in the case of a dead (person/thing)
• मृतके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मृतम्: death/deadness; (as) dead
• मृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (past participle) substantively

• आदिशेत्: should declare/foretell
• आदिशेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; उपसर्गः आ

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nimitta-jñāna: reading signs according to context; auspiciousness and inauspiciousness are inferred relative to the rite being performed.

Vedantic Theme: Prārabdha and karma-phala manifest through nimitta; discernment (viveka) is applied to empirical signs without mistaking them for ultimate reality.

Application: In decision-making, interpret indicators contextually (birth/commencement vs. death/closure); avoid one-size-fits-all readings of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ signs.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: directional space (dik)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.67 (nimitta/śakuna and directional omens context)

FAQs

What is the importance of omens (nimitta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that observable signs—such as a favorable direction or the appearance of emptiness—are used to infer likely outcomes (victory vs. loss), especially around major saṃskāras like birth and death rites.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it distinguishes contexts—birth-rites are read for auspicious life-outcomes, while death-rites are interpreted with finality, emphasizing the ritual recognition of death as a transition point central to the Purana’s after-death teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat major life rituals with attentiveness and sobriety: read circumstances realistically (avoid forced optimism in funerary contexts), and prioritize proper, dharmic observance of saṃskāras rather than superstition.