Shloka 26

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

नानाप्सरोभिराकीर्णं विमानमधिरोहति / षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि क्रीडित्वा शक्रमन्दिरे

Transliteration

nānāpsarobhirākīrṇaṃ vimānamadhirohati / ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi krīḍitvā śakramandire

Translation

Dia menaiki vimāna, kereta udara surgawi yang dipenuhi ramai apsarā. Setelah menikmati kebahagiaan di kediaman Śakra (Indra), dia bersuka ria di sana selama enam puluh ribu tahun.

Word by Word

• नानाप्सरोभिः: by various apsarases
• नानाप्सरोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण-कारक

• आकीर्णम्: filled, crowded
• आकीर्णम्: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (विमानम्)

• विमानम्: celestial chariot/aircraft
• विमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म-कारक

• अधिरोहति: mounts, ascends
• अधिरोहति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि: sixty thousand years
• षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि: Kala-adhikarana (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि + वर्ष + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कालाधिकरणे द्वितीया (accusative of duration)

• क्रीडित्वा: having sported/enjoyed
• क्रीडित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having played/enjoyed)

• शक्रमन्दिरे: in Indra's palace
• शक्रमन्दिरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण-कारक

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Punya results in ascent to a vimāna and prolonged enjoyment in Indra’s heaven (quantified as sixty thousand years).

Vedantic Theme: Svarga is a karmic, impermanent attainment; enjoyment is finite and does not equal mokṣa.

Application: Let promised rewards motivate virtue, but cultivate detachment and higher aim beyond pleasure; use prosperity ethically rather than as an end.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial palace

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: svarga descriptions following dāna-phala; vimāna and apsarā motifs recur in merit narratives

Characters & Entities

• Apsaras
• Shakra (Indra)
• Vimana

FAQs

What is the importance of enjoying in Śakra’s abode (Indra-loka) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents svarga (Indra’s realm) as a karmic reward: meritorious actions can yield refined pleasures and honor, symbolized by a vimāna and apsarās, but it remains a time-bound result.

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

In the Preta Kanda narrative, the soul’s post-death journey includes destinations shaped by karma; here, the meritorious attain a celestial ascent and temporary residence in Indra’s world for a specified duration.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat pleasure and success as results of past causes and keep them ethical and disciplined; prioritize dharma and lasting inner purification over chasing temporary rewards.