Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 126

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

अत्रोक्तकर्मपाकादिश्रवणाच्च नृणामिह / वैराग्यमावहेद्यस्मात्तस्माच्छ्रोतव्यमेव च

Transliteration

atroktakarmapākādiśravaṇācca nṛṇāmiha / vairāgyamāvahedyasmāttasmācchrotavyameva ca

Translation

Sa pagdinig tungkol sa paghinog ng karma at mga bagay na kaugnay na sinabi rito, ang mga tao sa mundong ito ay nagkakaroon ng vairāgya, ang paglayo sa pagkapit; kaya’t nararapat talagang pakinggan ito.

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (देशवाचक)

• ukta-karma-pāka-ādi-śravaṇāt: from hearing of the described karmic results etc.
• ukta-karma-pāka-ādi-śravaṇāt: Hetu (हेतु, cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ukta (प्रातिपदिक, from vac) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + pāka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Pañcamī, Ekavacana; samāsa: (ukta-karma-pāka-ādi) + śravaṇa; 'from the hearing of the (here) described results of actions etc.'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• nṛṇām: of men / for people
• nṛṇām: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान, beneficiary expressed via genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (देशवाचक)

• vairāgyam: dispassion
• vairāgyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vairāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• āvahet: should bring/produce
• āvahet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-vah (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• yasmāt: because/from which
• yasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Pañcamī, Ekavacana (ablative of relative pronoun)

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Pañcamī, Ekavacana (ablative of correlative pronoun)

• śrotavyam: should be listened to
• śrotavyam: Kriyā (predicate; vidhi)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Gerundive/obligatory participle (तव्यत्/tavyat), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'to be heard/should be heard'

• eva: certainly/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa of karma-pāka (ripening of actions) generates vairāgya, a key prerequisite for liberation-oriented life.

Vedantic Theme: Vairāgya as an essential sādhana (with viveka) preparing the mind for higher knowledge/bhakti; recognition of impermanence and karmic bondage.

Application: Deliberately study/hear accounts of consequences (ethical case studies, Purāṇic narratives) to cultivate detachment from harmful pleasures and strengthen spiritual priorities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated emphasis that hearing naraka/yama narratives produces vairāgya and dharma-buddhi; Garuda Purana phala-śruti passages encouraging śravaṇa

Characters & Entities

• Humans (nṛṇām)
• Karma (karma-pāka)
• Vairagya (dispassion)

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing about karma-pāka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse says that listening to the described consequences of actions generates vairāgya (detachment), which supports ethical living and spiritual focus; therefore such teachings are recommended to be heard.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

By emphasizing karma-pāka (the ripening of deeds), it frames the after-death journey as governed by one’s actions; hearing these outcomes helps a person turn away from harmful conduct that leads to suffering in the post-mortem states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly study or listen to teachings on karma and its outcomes, and use that reflection to reduce attachment and choose dharmic actions—especially truthfulness, restraint, and compassion.