Shloka 103

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

एतद्गुणसमाकीर्णं शरीरं सर्वदेहिनाम् / आत्मानं ये न जानन्ति ते नराः पशवः स्मृताः

Transliteration

etadguṇasamākīrṇaṃ śarīraṃ sarvadehinām / ātmānaṃ ye na jānanti te narāḥ paśavaḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Tubuh semua makhluk berjasad ini bercampur dengan sifat-sifat (guṇa) kebendaan; mereka yang tidak mengenal Diri (Ātman) dianggap manusia, namun hakikatnya seperti binatang.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally)

• गुण-समाकीर्णम्: mixed with qualities
• गुण-समाकीर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकीर्ण (कृदन्त; √कॄ/कीर्ण? from √कॄ/√किर् ‘to scatter/mix’, past participle ‘कीर्ण’ with सम्-आ-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थे ‘गुणैः समाकीर्णम्’ (mixed with qualities)

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्व-देहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्व-देहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (देहिन्), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासार्थे ‘सर्वेषां देहिनाम्’ (of all embodied beings)

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)

• स्मृताः: are considered/are called
• स्मृताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (are considered)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deha is guṇa-miśra; knowing the ātman is the criterion of true humanity; ignorance (ajñāna) is spiritual bestiality.

Vedantic Theme: Ātman distinct from body-mind complex; guṇas belong to prakṛti, not the Self; viveka as the gateway to liberation.

Application: Daily self-inquiry (ātma-vicāra), discrimination between seer and seen, and reducing guṇa-driven impulses through sāttvika conduct and study.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring contrast of deha vs ātman and the consequences of ajñāna in post-mortem journey; Garuda Purana teachings on guṇas and embodiment in adjacent adhyāyas describing yoni-bheda and karma-phala

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Gunas
• Dehin (embodied beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of Self-knowledge (Ātma-jñāna) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that without knowing the ātman, a person remains identified with the guṇa-made body and is therefore considered to live at a merely instinctive, animal-like level.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By distinguishing the guṇa-filled body from the ātman, it implies that progress on the soul’s path requires recognizing the Self as different from the perishable body, which is central to liberation-oriented teaching in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice discrimination between body-mind impulses and the witnessing Self—through study, japa, ethical restraint, and mindful action—so life is guided by dharma rather than mere appetite and habit.