Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

एवं कृतेन सम्पश्येत्स नरः भूतकर्मणा / दैविकीं पैतृकीं योनिं मानुषीं वाथ नारकीम्

Transliteration

evaṃ kṛtena sampaśyetsa naraḥ bhūtakarmaṇā / daivikīṃ paitṛkīṃ yoniṃ mānuṣīṃ vātha nārakīm

Translation

ดังนี้ ด้วยแรงแห่งกรรมที่ตนได้กระทำมา มนุษย์ย่อมประจักษ์ชะตาทางไปของตน—กำเนิดทิพย์ ภาวะแห่งปิตฤ (บรรพชน) กำเนิดมนุษย์ หรือแดนนรก

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (thus)

• कृतेन: by the deed done
• कृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (done deed)

• सम्पश्येत्: would see/should perceive
• सम्पश्येत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पश्य् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• नरः: man, person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सः-इति सर्वनामस्य विशेष्य

• भूतकर्मणा: by past actions
• भूतकर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भूतं कर्म = past action)

• दैविकीम्: divine
• दैविकीम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैविक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (योनिम्)

• पैतृकीम्: ancestral/pitṛ-related
• पैतृकीम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पैतृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (योनिम्)

• योनिम्: womb/birth, state of existence
• योनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानुषीम्: human
• मानुषीम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (योनिम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (then/and)

• नारकीम्: hellish
• नारकीम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (योनिम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhūta-karma (past action) determines perception and attainment of one’s destined yoni/gati: divine, ancestral, human, or hellish.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as karma-driven transmigration; the jīva’s trajectory across realms until knowledge/devotion dissolves bondage.

Application: Audit one’s actions and intentions; cultivate sattva through dharma, dāna, and devotion to aim for higher gati and ultimately liberation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic mapping of yonis/gatis

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: broader gati/yonis discussions and naraka/svarga accounts across Pretakalpa; Contextual link to prior warnings about Yamamārga and yātanā (2.19.10–12)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Devas
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (bhūta-karma) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It states that the soul’s next destination is determined by previously performed actions, leading to divine, ancestral, human, or hellish states.

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

It presents four broad outcomes shaped by deeds: ascent to a deva-like condition, entry into a pitṛ-related state, return to human birth, or descent into naraka.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically and perform dharmic duties (including ancestral obligations) with the understanding that actions have direct consequences for one’s future state.