Shloka 34

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

तेषा राजा स्वयं कुर्यात्कर्माणि तु यतो नृपः / आत्मनश्च शुभं कर्म कर्तव्यं पारलौकिकम्

Transliteration

teṣā rājā svayaṃ kuryātkarmāṇi tu yato nṛpaḥ / ātmanaśca śubhaṃ karma kartavyaṃ pāralaukikam

Translation

ฉะนั้นพระราชาพึงกำกับให้หน้าที่เหล่านั้นสำเร็จโดยชอบด้วยพระองค์เอง; เพราะกษัตริย์ควรกระทำกรรมอันเป็นมงคลด้วยตน เพื่อประโยชน์ตน อันให้ผลในปรโลก।

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• कर्माणि: actions, duties
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (Particle)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कारणार्थक-अव्यय (Causal indeclinable: 'because/from which reason')

• नृपः: the king (ruler)
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (Conjunction)

• शुभम्: auspicious, good
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• कर्म: deed, action
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done, should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• पारलौकिकम्: other-worldly, for the next world
• पारलौकिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारलौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A ruler must personally ensure and perform auspicious duties that yield results beyond this life.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and the continuity of moral causation beyond death; pravṛtti guided by dharma.

Application: Leaders should not merely delegate ethics/ritual obligations; personally practice charity, protection, justice, and pious acts with long-term accountability.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: royal court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: karma follows the jiva; kingship duties tied to paraloka-phala (general theme across 2.9)

Characters & Entities

• King (Nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the importance of pāralaukika (other-worldly) karma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that certain auspicious, dharmic actions are specifically meant to secure welfare after death; they are not merely social duties but merit-bearing acts that support one’s post-mortem destiny.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in practical terms?

By urging personal responsibility for śubha-karma, it implies that one’s afterlife condition is shaped by accumulated merit; even a king must actively cultivate deeds that aid the soul beyond this life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not outsource ethics: consistently perform truthful, charitable, and duty-aligned actions with awareness of long-term consequences, including spiritual accountability beyond immediate worldly gain.