Shloka 9

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

विधातृविहितो मृत्युः शीघ्रमादाय गच्छति / ततो वक्ष्यामि पक्षीन्द्र काश्यपेय महाद्युते

Transliteration

vidhātṛvihito mṛtyuḥ śīghramādāya gacchati / tato vakṣyāmi pakṣīndra kāśyapeya mahādyute

Translation

విధాత నిర్ణయించిన మరణం వేగంగా (జీవిని) పట్టుకొని తీసుకుపోతుంది. అందువల్ల, ఓ పక్షీంద్రా, ఓ కాశ్యపేయ మహాద్యుతీ! ఇక నేను తదుపరి విషయాన్ని వివరిస్తాను.

Word by Word

• विधातृविहितः: ordained by the Creator
• विधातृविहितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधातृ-विहित (प्रातिपदिक; विधातृ + विहित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; विशेषण (ordained by the Creator)

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund/absolutive: having taken)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (goes)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/thereafter)

• वक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्/Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (I shall tell)

• पक्षीन्द्र: O king of birds
• पक्षीन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षि-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; पक्षि + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन (O lord of birds)

• काश्यपेय: O descendant of Kaśyapa
• काश्यपेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यपेय (प्रातिपदिक; काश्यप + एय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; गोत्र/अपत्यवाचक (descendant of Kaśyapa)

• महाद्युते: O greatly radiant one
• महाद्युते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-द्युति (प्रातिपदिक; महा + द्युति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन (O great-lustrous one)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Death operates under divine ordinance; it comes swiftly and inevitably, prompting the need to understand the post-death process and right living.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-niyati (divine order) governing embodied existence; impetus for vairāgya (dispassion) and inquiry.

Application: Live with urgency for dharma and devotion; prepare for death through ethical conduct, remembrance of God, and understanding rites/teachings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: subsequent explanations of the soul’s journey after death (contextual forward reference)

Characters & Entities

• Vidhātṛ
• Garuda
• Kaśyapa
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of divinely ordained death in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames death (mṛtyu) as inevitable and sanctioned by cosmic order (Vidhātṛ), setting the foundation for why the Purana proceeds to explain the post-death process and duties for the living.

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

By stating that death swiftly takes the being away, it introduces the transition point into the post-death narrative—implying that once death arrives, the next stages (preta condition, rites, and onward journey) must be understood and prepared for.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness of impermanence: practice dharma, reduce harmful actions, and learn/observe appropriate antyeṣṭi and śrāddha-related duties so the transition after death is approached with clarity and responsibility.