Shloka 45

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा त्वत्पितरञ्चाहमपक्रान्ता तवान्तिकात् / वल्कलाजिनसंवीता कथं राज्ञः पुरः प्रभो

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā tvatpitarañcāhamapakrāntā tavāntikāt / valkalājinasaṃvītā kathaṃ rājñaḥ puraḥ prabho

Translation

ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ครั้นได้เห็นพระบิดาของท่านแล้ว ข้าพเจ้าจึงถอยห่างจากที่ประทับของท่าน เมื่อสวมผ้าจากเปลือกไม้และหนังเนื้อ ข้าพเจ้าจะเข้าเฝ้าพระราชาเบื้องหน้าได้อย่างไร?

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपक्रान्ता: (having) departed / gone away
• अपक्रान्ता: Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; भावः—"I have departed"

• तव: from you/your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अन्तिकात्: from (your) presence/nearby
• अन्तिकात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग, पञ्चमी-एकवचन (Ablative singular)

• वल्कलाजिनसंवीता: clad in bark-garments and deer-skin
• वल्कलाजिनसंवीता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्कल (प्रातिपदिक) + अजिन (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-वी (धातु)
• Form: समासः—वल्कल+अजिन (द्वन्द्व), ततः 'संवीता' (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, सम्-वी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• पुरः: in front (of)
• पुरः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/postposition), अर्थः—"in front of"; षष्ठीसम्बन्धेन प्रयोग

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular)

Speaker

Unspecified female speaker in the narrative (addressing a Lord/Prabhu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Maryada (social-ethical propriety) and humility when one’s external condition conflicts with courtly norms.

Vedantic Theme: Antar-bhava vs bahir-avesha: inner intention and purity contrasted with external appearance; the self is not the garment, yet society responds to form.

Application: Act with sensitivity to context; when circumstances change, communicate honestly and seek a dharmic way to fulfill duties without violating personal dignity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sabha/rajagriha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): dharma of conduct and speech (sadachara) sections; narratives emphasizing humility before authority

Characters & Entities

• King (Rājā)
• Father (Pitā)

FAQs

What is the importance of modest conduct (dharma) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse highlights propriety and self-restraint: the speaker feels it is improper to stand before a king while dressed as an ascetic, reflecting dharmic sensitivity to context and decorum.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on life, death, and duty?

Even within afterlife-oriented chapters, the text uses dialogue to reinforce dharma in worldly settings—showing that right conduct and awareness of role and circumstance underpin the larger karmic framework described in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain situational propriety and humility—act in ways appropriate to the setting and responsibility, since ethical conduct in daily life supports spiritual discipline and good karma.