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Shloka 37

The Explanation of Various Gifts (Dāna) and the Soul’s Entry into Another Body

Devanagari script

कथयामि पुनस्तेषां शरीरञ्च यथा भवेत् / एकस्तम्भं स्नायुबद्धं स्थूणाद्वयसमुद्धृतम्

Transliteration

kathayāmi punasteṣāṃ śarīrañca yathā bhavet / ekastambhaṃ snāyubaddhaṃ sthūṇādvayasamuddhṛtam

Translation

เราจะกล่าวอีกครั้งว่ากายของเขาเป็นเช่นไร: ดุจเสาเดียว ถูกมัดด้วยเส้นเอ็น และถูกยกตั้งไว้ระหว่างเสาสองต้น.

Word by Word
कथयामिI describe; I tell
कथयामि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकथय् (धातु; √कथ् causative/णिच्)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)
पुनःagain
पुनः:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (again)
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6), बहुवचन
शरीरम्body
शरीरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (and)
यथाas; in the manner that
यथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकार/उपमान (as; how)
भवेत्would be; may become
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
एकस्तम्भम्a single pillar (like)
एकस्तम्भम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएक + स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समास: एक-स्तम्भम् = one pillar-like (structure)
स्नायुबद्धम्bound with sinews
स्नायुबद्धम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्नायु + बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् धातु)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; समास: स्नायु-बद्धम् = bound by sinews
स्थूणाद्वयसमुद्धृतम्supported by two pillars
स्थूणाद्वयसमुद्धृतम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्थूणा + द्वय + समुद्धृत (कृदन्त; √उद्धृ धातु with सम्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; समास: स्थूणा-द्वय-समुद्धृतम् = raised/held up by two posts
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body is a constructed support—like a pillar—held together by sinews; it is an assemblage, not the Self.

Vedantic Theme: Deha as upādhi (limiting adjunct); composite nature (saṅghāta) undermines identification.

Application: Use body-as-structure contemplation to weaken ‘I am the body’ notion; cultivate witness-attitude toward bodily processes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: body described through metaphors (city/house/pillar) in adjacent verses (2.31.38-40)

Characters & Entities
P
Pretas

FAQs

This verse frames the post-death body as a constructed, supported form—highlighting that the departed experiences an intermediate embodied condition central to Garuda Purana’s discussion of rites and the soul’s journey.

By stating “how their body comes to be,” it signals that the soul’s journey is not disembodied; it proceeds with an intermediate body (preta-deha) that can undergo experiences and thus becomes relevant to subsequent descriptions of Yama’s path and ritual supports.

It encourages mindful performance of death-rites (e.g., śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna) and ethical living, recognizing that post-death experience is treated as consequential and structured in the Garuda Purana tradition.

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