Shloka 23

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

इहैव नरकव्याधेश्चिकित्सां न करोति यः / गत्वा निरौषधं देशं व्याधिम्थः किं करिष्यति

Transliteration

ihaiva narakavyādheścikitsāṃ na karoti yaḥ / gatvā nirauṣadhaṃ deśaṃ vyādhimthaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati

Translation

Sesiapa yang tidak merawat—di sini juga—“penyakit” yang membawa ke neraka, apabila pergi ke negeri tanpa ubat, apakah yang mampu dilakukan oleh si sakit?

Word by Word

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• नरकव्याधेः: of the hell-disease (i.e., deadly affliction)
• नरकव्याधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरकव्याधि (प्रातिपदिक: नरक + व्याधि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नरकस्य व्याधिः)

• चिकित्साम्: treatment
• चिकित्साम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिकित्सा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात

• करोति: does
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having gone)

• निरौषधम्: without medicine
• निरौषधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरौषध (प्रातिपदिक: निर् + औषध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं देशम् प्रति; तत्पुरुषः (औषधं नास्ति यस्मिन्)

• देशम्: to a place
• देशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद (destination as object of motion)

• व्याधिमत्: a diseased person
• व्याधिमत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याधिमत् (प्रातिपदिक: व्याधि + मतुप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (one who is diseased); मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Treat the moral-spiritual disease that leads to hell while alive; after death there is no remedy, only experience of results.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala inevitability and the primacy of sādhana in embodied life (puruṣārtha while alive).

Application: Do prāyaścitta, ethical reform, devotion, and meditation now; do not postpone transformation to ‘later’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: otherworldly region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: after death, the preta is helpless; remedies are limited to prior karma and rites performed by the living

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of treating the 'naraka-vyādhi' (hell-disease) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that ethical correction and atonement must be done while living; after death, the realm of consequences is described as 'without medicine,' meaning no further remedial action is possible.

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

It implies a one-way transition: once the soul reaches the post-death realm associated with karmic results, it cannot undo causes the way it could through dharmic living, repentance, and corrective deeds during life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Address harmful habits and unethical actions immediately—seek repentance, make amends, practice dharma, and adopt disciplined conduct now rather than postponing change until it is too late.