Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 94

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

मासोपवासैर्न विशोषितं वपुश्चान्द्रायणैर्वा नियमैश्च संहतैः / नारीशरीरं बहुदुः खभाजनं लब्धं मया पूर्वकृतैर्विकर्मभिः

Transliteration

māsopavāsairna viśoṣitaṃ vapuścāndrāyaṇairvā niyamaiśca saṃhataiḥ / nārīśarīraṃ bahuduḥ khabhājanaṃ labdhaṃ mayā pūrvakṛtairvikarmabhiḥ

Translation

Não enfraqueci este corpo com jejuns de mês inteiro, nem com observâncias de Cāndrāyaṇa, nem com votos e disciplinas severas. Assim, por minhas más ações passadas (vikarma), obtive um corpo de mulher—um receptáculo de muitos sofrimentos.

Word by Word

• māsopavāsaiḥ: by monthly fasts
• māsopavāsaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मासस्य उपवासाः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• viśoṣitam: emaciated
• viśoṣitam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuṣ (शुष् धातु)
• Form: वि-उपसर्गपूर्वक शुष्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘emaciated/dried’

• vapuḥ: body
• vapuḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• cāndrāyaṇaiḥ: by Cāndrāyaṇa vows
• cāndrāyaṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāndrāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; व्रतनाम

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• niyamaiḥ: by disciplines/observances
• niyamaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• saṃhataiḥ: combined/strict
• saṃhataiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃhata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √han with sam-)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘combined/strict’

• nārīśarīram: a woman's body
• nārīśarīram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक) + śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नार्याः शरीरम्)

• bahuduḥkhabhājanam: a receptacle of much suffering
• bahuduḥkhabhājanam: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (बहु-दुःखं भाजनम्)

• labdham: obtained
• labdham: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: लभ्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘obtained’

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• pūrvakṛtaiḥ: by previously done
• pūrvakṛtaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (पूर्वं कृतैः)

• vikarmabhiḥ: by sinful actions
• vikarmabhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi (उपसर्ग) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘bad actions/sinful deeds’

Speaker

A suffering preta/jīva (lamenting soul) describing karmic causes of rebirth and embodied pain, within Lord Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Former vikarma (misdeeds) conditions rebirth; tapas/vrata are portrayed as purificatory means that were neglected.

Vedantic Theme: Embodiment as karma-śarīra; saṃsāra driven by avidyā and karma; discipline as antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi.

Application: Adopt sustainable disciplines (fasting/niyama in moderation), ethical restraint, and repentance to reduce harmful karmic momentum.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: rebirth typologies and karma-to-body mappings (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Jīva
• Karma
• Cāndrāyaṇa
• Niyama

FAQs

What is the importance of austerity and expiation (upavāsa, Cāndrāyaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames disciplined vows and expiatory observances as means of purification; neglecting such restraints is presented as contributing to continued karmic burden and painful embodied outcomes.

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

It depicts the preta/jīva reflecting on past conduct: unrestrained life and vikarma lead to suffering and to further birth, showing karma as the driver of post-death experience and rebirth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice ethical restraint (niyama), avoid vikarma, and undertake appropriate vrata/penance with guidance—using discipline as a support for character, accountability, and karmic correction.