Shloka 27

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

आत्मा तथैव सर्वेषु पुत्त्रेषु विचरेत्सदा / या यस्य प्रकृतिः पूर्वं शुक्रशोणितसङ्गमे

Transliteration

ātmā tathaiva sarveṣu puttreṣu vicaretsadā / yā yasya prakṛtiḥ pūrvaṃ śukraśoṇitasaṅgame

Translation

ฉันนั้น อาตมันย่อมสัญจรอยู่เสมอในบุตรทั้งหลาย และธรรมชาติเดิมของแต่ละผู้ซึ่งมีอยู่ก่อน ณ คราวที่เชื้อและโลหิตประสานกัน ย่อมปรากฏขึ้นอีกตามนั้น

Word by Word

• आत्मा: the self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb ‘thus/so’)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुत्रेषु)

• पुत्रेषु: in sons/children
• पुत्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• विचरेत्: should move/operate
• विचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb ‘always’)

• या: which
• या: Karta/Relational (कर्ता/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (whose)

• प्रकृतिः: nature/constitution
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly/before
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोगः; कालवाचक (adverb ‘formerly/before’)

• शुक्र-शोणित-सङ्गमे: in the union of semen and blood
• शुक्र-शोणित-सङ्गमे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुक्रस्य शोणितस्य च सङ्गमः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Self is not truly divided; yet through embodiment and prior dispositions, distinct natures appear in different offspring at conception (śukra-śoṇita-saṅgama).

Vedantic Theme: One consciousness appearing as many via upādhis; saṃskāra/prakṛti shaping individuality within saṃsāra.

Application: Hold non-possessive awareness in family life: see children as distinct carriers of their own saṃskāras; cultivate guidance without egoic projection; support sattvic conditions at conception and upbringing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: teaching setting (upadeśa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana discussions on rebirth, saṃskāra, and lineage; philosophical interludes within Pretakalpa

Characters & Entities

• Atman

FAQs

What is the importance of prakriti (innate nature) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It explains that individual temperament is not random; a being’s prior disposition (prakriti) reappears at embodiment, shaping how the soul expresses itself in a new birth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It indicates continuity: the atman does not end with one body but continues and becomes active again in progeny/embodiment, with earlier tendencies manifesting at conception (śukra-śoṇita saṅgama).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages ethical living and mindful conduct, since tendencies and character are portrayed as enduring; cultivating sattvic habits is presented as shaping future embodiment and disposition.