Shloka 23
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama
मोहाद्विनाष्टं यदि गर्भचिन्तितं स्मृतं पुनर्मृत्युगते चदेहे / तस्मिन्प्रनष्टे हृदि चिन्तितं गतं स्मृतं पुनर्गर्भगते च देहे
mohādvināṣṭaṃ yadi garbhacintitaṃ smṛtaṃ punarmṛtyugate cadehe / tasminpranaṣṭe hṛdi cintitaṃ gataṃ smṛtaṃ punargarbhagate ca dehe
หากด้วยความหลง สิ่งที่เคยรำพึงในครรภ์สูญหายไป สิ่งนั้นย่อมระลึกได้อีกเมื่อกายเข้าสู่ภาวะแห่งความตาย. และเมื่อความระลึกนั้นสูญอีก ครั้นเข้าสู่กายในครรภ์ใหม่ สิ่งที่เคยสถิตในดวงใจและรำพึงไว้ก่อนย่อมหวนระลึกขึ้นอีกครั้ง.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Smṛti/saṃskāra oscillates across births; moha causes loss of insight; death and rebirth reactivate latent impressions.
Vedantic Theme: Avidyā-driven saṃsāra: vāsanā and saṃskāra persist even when explicit memory fails; liberation requires breaking the cycle through knowledge/devotion.
Application: Do daily remembrance (smaraṇa) and self-inquiry so insight is stabilized before the death-transition; cultivate detachment to weaken moha.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: liminal states (prenatal and dying)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa teachings on death-state experiences and rebirth mechanics (general internal parallel)
FAQs
This verse indicates that impressions and contemplations can re-emerge at the death-state even if forgotten in ordinary life, showing how subtle impressions persist beyond waking identity.
It portrays a cyclic movement: prenatal contemplation is obscured by moha, recollection can surface at death, may be lost again, and then reappears upon entering the womb—implying continuity of inner impressions across transitions.
Cultivate dharmic thoughts and steady remembrance now, since deep impressions can surface at critical transitions; disciplined contemplation and ethical living shape what the mind carries forward.