Shloka 36

Gradations of Bliss and Knowledge; Lakṣmī’s Special Insight; The Rarity of Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Nīlā’s Vow and Śrīnivāsa Darśana

Devanagari script

यद्भर्तारो हरिभक्ता न संति ताभिस्त्याज्यं स्वीयगात्रं भृशं हि / स्वभर्तृतं कृष्णरूपं हरिं च स्मृत्वा सम्यग् यदि गात्रं त्यजेयुः

Transliteration

yadbhartāro haribhaktā na saṃti tābhistyājyaṃ svīyagātraṃ bhṛśaṃ hi / svabhartṛtaṃ kṛṣṇarūpaṃ hariṃ ca smṛtvā samyag yadi gātraṃ tyajeyuḥ

Translation

ଯାହାଙ୍କ ଭର୍ତ୍ତାମାନେ ହରିଭକ୍ତ ନୁହନ୍ତି, ସେହି ସ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ନିଜ ଦେହକୁ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ନିଜ ସତ୍ୟ ଭର୍ତ୍ତା-ନାଥ ଭାବେ କୃଷ୍ଣଶ୍ୟାମ ହରିଙ୍କୁ ସମ୍ୟକ୍ ସ୍ମରଣ କରି ଯଦି ଦେହତ୍ୟାଗ କରନ୍ତି, ତେବେ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଗତି ପାଇବେ।

Word by Word

• yat: if/when (in the case that)
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative particle used with correlative sense (यत्...तत्); here introducing condition/case

• bhartāraḥ: husbands
• bhartāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• hari-bhaktāḥ: devotees of Hari
• hari-bhaktāḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (कृदन्त from √bhaj)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• santi: are/exist
• santi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• tābhiḥ: by them (by those women)
• tābhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; agent of gerundive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• tyājyam: should be abandoned
• tyājyam: Pradhāna-nāma (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tyājya (कृदन्त/भाव्य from √tyaj)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; gerundive (यत्): 'to be abandoned'

• svīya-gātram: one's own body
• svīya-gātram: Karta (कर्ता; subject of tyājyam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svīya (प्रातिपदिक) + gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: svīyaṃ gātram (one's own body)

• bhṛśam: greatly/excessively
• bhṛśam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तीव्रता/degree)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (हेतु/indeed)

• sva-bhartṛtam: one's own husbandhood / one's husband (as principle)
• sva-bhartṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhartṛtā/bhartṛtva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: svasya bhartṛt(am) (one's husband-ness/one's husband as such); object of smṛtvā

• kṛṣṇa-rūpam: in the form of Krishna
• kṛṣṇa-rūpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: kṛṣṇasya rūpam (having the form of Krishna)

• harim: Hari
• harim: Karma (कर्म; object of smṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• smṛtvā: having remembered
• smṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ धातु)
• Form: Gerund (क्त्वा): having remembered

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (रीतिवाचक)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle

• gātram: body
• gātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of tyajeyuḥ

• tyajeyuḥ: they should abandon
• tyajeyuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Antima-smṛti of Hari/Kṛṣṇa as the decisive means; radical renunciation of bodily identification when spiritual support is absent.

Vedantic Theme: Smaraṇa at death shaping gati; surrender to Bhagavān as the inner husband/lord (īśvara) beyond worldly relations.

Application: Prepare for death through daily nāma-smaraṇa; cultivate inner refuge in Hari so that remembrance is natural at life’s end.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent insistence on Viṣṇu-smaraṇa at death as salvific; Garuda Purana: teachings on the power of nāma and remembrance in the dying moment

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of remembering Hari at the time of death in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that right remembrance (samyak-smaraṇa) of Hari—specifically as Kṛṣṇa—at the moment of giving up the body is presented as a decisive spiritual support for attaining the proper end (liberating destination).

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

Rather than focusing on external rites, the verse highlights inner alignment: if consciousness is fixed on Hari as the true Lord while leaving the body, that remembrance directs the soul toward a higher, auspicious course.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady Vishnu/Krishna-bhakti and daily remembrance so that, in crisis or at life’s end, the mind naturally turns to Hari with clarity and devotion.