Shloka 57

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

भवेद्भोगस्य वैचित्र्यं भ्राम्यतां प्राणिनामिह / देवत्वमसुरत्वं च यक्षत्वादिसुखप्रदम्

Transliteration

bhavedbhogasya vaicitryaṃ bhrāmyatāṃ prāṇināmiha / devatvamasuratvaṃ ca yakṣatvādisukhapradam

Translation

สำหรับสรรพสัตว์ผู้เวียนว่ายในสังสารวัฏ ณ ที่นี้ ประสบการณ์แห่งความเสวยสุขย่อมหลากหลาย—เป็นเทวภาวะ เป็นอสูรภาวะ เป็นยักษภาวะเป็นต้น ซึ่งแต่ละภาวะให้สุขตามแบบของตน

Word by Word

• भवेत्: may be, would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकार), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भोगस्य: of enjoyment/experience
• भोगस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वैचित्र्यम्: variety, diversity
• वैचित्र्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैचित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भ्राम्यताम्: (they) wander
• भ्राम्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (present: 'they wander')

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'here/in this world')

• देवत्वम्: godhood
• देवत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + त्व (तद्धित; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being a god)

• असुरत्वम्: asurahood, demonhood
• असुरत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर + त्व (तद्धित; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• यक्षत्वादि-सुख-प्रदम्: giving happiness such as (that of) yakṣahood, etc.
• यक्षत्वादि-सुख-प्रदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यक्षत्व (यक्ष + त्व) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (√दा धातु + क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास: (यक्षत्व-आदि)स्य सुखं प्रददाति इति

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic fruition yields diverse ‘bhoga’ (enjoyments) across embodiments—deva, asura, yakṣa, etc.—each with its characteristic pleasures.

Vedantic Theme: Saṁsāra-vaicitrya (variegated transmigration) driven by karma and guṇas; pleasures are impermanent fruits, not final freedom.

Application: Do not romanticize higher births; use pleasant circumstances for dharma and devotion, recognizing their temporary karmic nature.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.2.57-58 (pleasure and suffering across births)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras
• Yakshas

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic variety of births in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that as beings wander in saṃsāra, karma produces diverse modes of enjoyment, resulting in different classes of birth such as deva, asura, and yakṣa.

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

It implies that the jīva, driven by karma, continues to circulate through different existences; post-death outcomes can include higher or other pleasure-bearing states, not a single fixed destination.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat pleasure and status as temporary outcomes of karma; prioritize dharma and ethical action to shape future conditions rather than chasing short-lived enjoyments.