Shloka 36

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

कर्मात्मा पुष्करो ज्ञेयः शनरथ यमो मतः / नयाभिमानी पुरुषः किञ्चिन्नम्नो दशावरः

Transliteration

karmātmā puṣkaro jñeyaḥ śanaratha yamo mataḥ / nayābhimānī puruṣaḥ kiñcinnamno daśāvaraḥ

Translation

Знай: Пушкара — тот, чья природа есть карма, распорядитель деяний. Шанаратха почитается как Яма. А человек, гордящийся мирской политикой и поведением, зовётся Кинчиннама; иной же известен как Дашавара.

Word by Word

• कर्मात्मा: one whose nature is action
• कर्मात्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः आत्मा)

• पुष्करः: Puṣkara
• पुष्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयः: Vidhaya (विधेय/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त/gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (to be known)

• शनरथ: Śanaratha (name)
• शनरथ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (सम्बोधन-प्रायः/नामरूपेण)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Vidhaya (विधेय/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मतः: is considered
• मतः: Vidhaya (विधेय/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (considered/held)

• नयाभिमानी: proud of policy/leadership
• नयाभिमानी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of पुरुषः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नय + अभिमानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नयस्य अभिमानी)

• पुरुषः: person
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किञ्चित्: somewhat
• किञ्चित्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अनिश्चित-परिमाणवाचक (indefinite particle: 'somewhat/a little')

• नम्नः: humble/bent down
• नम्नः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of पुरुषः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दशावरः: inferior in ten ways / tenfold inferior
• दशावरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of पुरुषः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + अवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषः (दशसु अवरः/दश-प्रकारेण अवरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma is administered through designated cosmic agents; Yama is identified through a specific epithet, underscoring moral causality as structured governance.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-adhīna karma-phala-vyavasthā (the dispensation of results under divine order) alongside the notion of niyati (ordered law).

Application: Cultivate accountability for actions and speech; act with awareness that deeds have supervised consequences beyond human institutions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Yamadharma sections describing Yama, his attendants, and karmic adjudication (general parallel); Garuda Purana 3.29 context: cataloging names/roles connected to dharma and karmic order

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Puṣkara
• Śanaratha
• Kiñcinnāmā
• Daśāvara

FAQs

What is the importance of karma administration in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the afterlife as governed by karma through named agents, emphasizing that deeds—and the mentality behind them—determine one’s post-death experience under Yama’s order.

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

By naming figures associated with karma and Yama, it implies an organized moral cosmos: the departed soul is assessed and directed according to its actions and dispositions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate ethical conduct without pride in cunning ‘naya’ (worldly strategizing), remembering that accountability for actions is central to the Garuda Purana’s teaching on death and the afterlife.