Shloka 4

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

यथा तृणजलौकेति न्यायमा श्रित्य कञ्चन / देहिनो ऽन्यतनुप्राप्तिं केचित्त्वेवं वदन्ति हि

Transliteration

yathā tṛṇajalauketi nyāyamā śritya kañcana / dehino 'nyatanuprāptiṃ kecittvevaṃ vadanti hi

Translation

यथा तृणजलौकेति न्यायमाश्रित्य कञ्चन। देहिनोऽन्यतनुप्राप्तिं केचित् त्वेवं वदन्ति हि॥

Word by Word

• यथा: just as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (यथार्थे/उपमानार्थे)

• तृण: grass
• तृण: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• जलौका: leech
• जलौका: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलौका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• इति: thus (called)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• तृणजलौका: ‘grass-leech’ (a leech like grass)
• तृणजलौका: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण + जलौका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (तृणसदृशी जलौका), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (न्याय-विशेषणरूपेण)

• न्यायम्: the maxim/analogy
• न्यायम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having resorted to’

• कञ्चन: someone
• कञ्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनामार्थे ‘कश्चन’

• देहिनः: of the embodied being
• देहिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्य: another
• अन्य: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• तनु: body
• तनु: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• प्राप्तिम्: attainment
• प्राप्तिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्यतनुप्राप्तिम्: attainment of another body
• अन्यतनुप्राप्तिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य + तनु + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अन्यस्याः तन्वाः प्राप्तिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केचित्: some people
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘some’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• वदन्ति: say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Re-embodiment (dehāntara-prāpti) explained via the ‘tṛṇa-jalauka’ maxim: the jīva shifts support from one body to another, implying continuity amid change driven by karma.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra mechanics: continuity of the subtle principle across gross bodies; karma as the causal link; distinction between changing upādhis (bodies) and the enduring self (ātman).

Application: Reflect on impermanence of the body and accountability of actions; cultivate detachment and ethical living to shape future outcomes and seek release from repeated embodiment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: rebirth/karma explanations and subtle-body travel themes recur in Pretakalpa and upadeśa sections (edition-dependent).

Characters & Entities

• Dehina (Jiva)
• Tṛṇa (blade of grass)
• Jalaukā (leech)

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘leech and grass’ maxim in the Garuda Purana?

It illustrates continuity in transmigration: as a leech holds one support while reaching for another, the jīva is described as moving on to a new embodiment in an orderly, connected way rather than randomly.

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

It presents a doctrinal model where the embodied being (jīva) transitions to another body, implying a carried continuity (often understood as through the subtle body and karmic momentum) during the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness of karmic continuity—choices shape future conditions—so cultivate dharma, self-restraint, and compassionate action as preparations for a favorable onward journey.