Shloka 19

Arrival at Yama’s cities: Citragupta’s scrutiny, Dharmadhvaja’s gate, and the necessity of dāna

Devanagari script

महापुण्यप्रभावेण मानुष्यं जन्म लभ्यते / यस्तत्प्राप्य चरेद्धर्मं स गच्छेत्परमां गतिम्

Transliteration

mahāpuṇyaprabhāveṇa mānuṣyaṃ janma labhyate / yastatprāpya careddharmaṃ sa gacchetparamāṃ gatim

Translation

Силою великой заслуги обретается человеческое рождение. Тот, кто, получив его, живёт по Дхарме, достигает высшей участи.

Word by Word

• महापुण्यप्रभावेण: by the power of great merit
• महापुण्यप्रभावेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापुण्यप्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + पुण्य + प्रभाव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (महच्च तत् पुण्यं तस्य प्रभावः)

• मानुष्यं: human
• मानुष्यं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘जन्म’ इति विशेषण

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• तत्: that (human birth)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having obtained’

• चरेत्: should practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गच्छेत्: should go/attain
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘गतिम्’ इति विशेषण

• गतिम्: state, destination
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human birth arises from great merit; using it to live by dharma leads to the supreme destination.

Vedantic Theme: Rare human embodiment as sādhana-bhūmi; dharma as purifier culminating in higher gati, ultimately compatible with mokṣa through bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Treat opportunities, education, and agency as ‘puṇya-fruit’; commit to ethical living, service, and devotion; make dharma a daily standard rather than occasional act.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated motif—manuṣya-janma as puṇya-phala and dharma as ladder to higher gati (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What does Garuda Purana say about the value of human birth?

This verse states that human birth is attained through the force of great merit (mahāpuṇya) and is therefore rare and spiritually significant.

How does this verse describe the path to the 'supreme destination'?

It teaches that after attaining human life, one should actively live by dharma; this dharmic conduct is presented as the direct cause for reaching the highest gati.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human life as an opportunity: choose ethical action, self-discipline, truthfulness, compassion, and duty-based living—so conduct aligns with dharma rather than impulse.