Shloka 62

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

क्रामन्ति भुक्तपीतानि स्त्रीणां गर्भोदरे तथा / तैराप्यायितदेहो ऽसौ जन्तुर्वृद्धिमुपैति च

Transliteration

krāmanti bhuktapītāni strīṇāṃ garbhodare tathā / tairāpyāyitadeho 'sau janturvṛddhimupaiti ca

Translation

ฉันนั้น อาหารและน้ำที่สตรีบริโภคย่อมเคลื่อนไปสู่ครรภ์; เมื่อกายได้รับการหล่อเลี้ยงด้วยสิ่งเหล่านั้น สัตว์ผู้มีชีวิตนั้นย่อมเติบโตและขยายขึ้น

Word by Word

• क्रामन्ति: move/proceed
• क्रामन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person, Plural)

• भुक्तपीतानि: things eaten and drunk
• भुक्तपीतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्त (√भुज्, क्त) + पीत (√पा, क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त द्वन्द्वसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• गर्भोदरे: in the womb-belly
• गर्भोदरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘गर्भस्य उदरे’ (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• तैः: by them/with those
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental plural pronoun)

• अप्यायितदेहः: having a nourished body
• अप्यायितदेहः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्यायित (√प्या/अप्यै, क्त) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अप्यायितः देहः यस्य’ इति (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; nourished-bodied)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; pronoun)

• जन्तुः: the embryo/creature
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• वृद्धिम्: growth
• वृद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• उपैति: attains/approaches
• उपैति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person, Singular)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The fetus is strengthened by what the mother consumes; care in intake becomes an ethical responsibility.

Vedantic Theme: Anna as sustaining upādhi; the self is distinct yet experiences saṃsāra through dependence on material supports.

Application: Adopt mindful eating and drinking, especially during pregnancy; cultivate gratitude and protective care for prenatal life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: intrauterine space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.60-61 (growth and the connecting channel; this verse states the functional result)

Characters & Entities

• Strī (mother)
• Garbha (embryo/fetus)
• Jantu (embodied being)

FAQs

What is the importance of garbha-vṛddhi (fetal growth) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse explains a key mechanism of embodiment: the fetus (jantu) is sustained by the mother’s consumed food and drink, showing how physical growth supports the soul’s continued residence in a developing body.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing how nourishment strengthens the fetal body, it highlights the soul’s dependence on a suitable physical vehicle during gestation—an early stage in the larger journey through birth, death, and post-death states discussed in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It underscores ethical and mindful living during pregnancy: wholesome diet and conduct support healthy embodiment, aligning bodily care with dharmic responsibility toward the developing life.