Shloka 55

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

पलद्वादशकं मज्जा महारक्तं पलत्रयम् / शुक्रं द्विकुडवं ज्ञेयं शोणितं कुडवं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

paladvādaśakaṃ majjā mahāraktaṃ palatrayam / śukraṃ dvikuḍavaṃ jñeyaṃ śoṇitaṃ kuḍavaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Sumsum tulang dikatakan berukuran dua belas pala; darah besar (darah hayat) tiga pala. Mani hendaklah diketahui sebagai dua kuḍava, sedangkan darah (śoṇita) diingati sebagai satu kuḍava.

Word by Word

• पलद्वादशकम्: twelve palas (in weight)
• पलद्वादशकम्: Pramana (Measure/प्रमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वादशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पलानां द्वादशकम्) परिमाणवाचकः; मज्जा इत्यस्य परिमाणनिर्देशः

• मज्जा: marrow
• मज्जा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महारक्तम्: great blood (major blood)
• महारक्तम्: Karta/Pradhana-vishaya (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्गवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महत् रक्तम्)

• पलत्रयम्: three palas
• पलत्रयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पलानां त्रयम्) परिमाणवाचकः; महारक्तम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शुक्रम्: semen
• शुक्रम्: Karta/Pradhana-vishaya (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्विकुडवम्: two kuḍavas
• द्विकुडवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ कुडवौ यस्य/द्विकुडवम्) परिमाणवाचकः; शुक्रम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय कृदन्त (Gerundive/Future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; शुक्रम् इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• शोणितम्: blood (menstrual/other)
• शोणितम्: Karta/Pradhana-vishaya (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुडवम्: one kuḍava
• कुडवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचकः; शोणितम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• स्मृतम्: is said/remembered (as)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; शोणितम् इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Subtle-to-gross bodily essences are still measurable substances; do not mistake vitality/reproductive essence for Self.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka between consciousness (ātman) and vital/material constituents (dhātu/śarīra); impermanence of upādhis.

Application: Cultivate restraint (brahmacarya/moderation) and humility by recognizing semen/vitality as finite, conditioned substances; avoid over-identification with vigor.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.53-54, 2.32.56-57 (same sequence; karma teaching)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing bodily measures in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the body as a quantified, perishable aggregate, supporting the Preta Kanda’s teaching that the soul’s journey is distinct from the material body and informing ritual/medical-style descriptions used in death-rite discourse.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing measurable physical constituents (marrow, blood, semen), it highlights that these elements remain in the realm of matter, while the jīva proceeds onward—an underlying contrast repeatedly used in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages detachment from bodily identity and motivates ethical living and timely performance of rites (antyeṣṭi/śrāddha), remembering that the body is finite and composed of changing substances.