Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 26

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

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

Devanagari script

मासद्वये तु सञ्जाते त्वचा मेदश्च जायते / मज्जास्थीनि त्रिभिर्मासैः केशाङ्गुल्यश्चतुर्थके

Transliteration

māsadvaye tu sañjāte tvacā medaśca jāyate / majjāsthīni tribhirmāsaiḥ keśāṅgulyaścaturthake

Translation

Kapag natapos ang ikalawang buwan, nabubuo ang balat at taba. Sa ikatlong buwan, umuunlad ang utak-buto at mga buto; at sa ikaapat na buwan, lumilitaw ang buhok at mga daliri (at mga daliri sa paa).

Word by Word

• मासद्वये: in the second month / in two months
• मासद्वये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्वयोः मासयोः = in two months/at the second month)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• सञ्जाते: when it has arisen/occurred
• सञ्जाते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+जन् (धातु)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (सञ्जात = arisen), सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• त्वचा: skin
• त्वचा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वच्/त्वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मेदः: fat
• मेदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• मज्जास्थीनि: marrow and bones
• मज्जास्थीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मज्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (marrow and bones as a set)

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (संख्याविशेषण) त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• मासैः: months
• मासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• केशाङ्गुल्यः: hair and fingers
• केशाङ्गुल्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (hair and fingers)

• चतुर्थके: in the fourth (month)
• चतुर्थके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sequential development across months: skin/fat (2nd), marrow/bones (3rd), hair/digits (4th).

Vedantic Theme: The body is an assembled aggregate (saṅghāta) with layered constituents; the Self is not any layer.

Application: Contemplate layered construction to reduce identification with appearance; encourage compassion by recognizing shared biological formation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: bodily-inner-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.23–27 (month-wise formation)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of fetal development details in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links embodiment to a precise month-by-month formation, reinforcing that taking a body is a structured karmic process—central to Preta Kanda discussions on death, the subtle body, and post-death rites.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing how the physical body is gradually formed, it implies the jīva’s entry into embodied life through karma; this sets the groundwork for later teachings on how the subtle body continues after death and why rites address the departed’s condition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages reverence for life and ethical conduct (dharma), reminding practitioners that birth and embodiment are not random but tied to responsibility, compassion, and right living.