Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 11

Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna

Devanagari script

एवं वृत्तस्य दह्यन्ते पापान्युच्चावचानि च / मृतो मुक्तिमवाप्नोति यथा सर्वे महर्षयः

Transliteration

evaṃ vṛttasya dahyante pāpānyuccāvacāni ca / mṛto muktimavāpnoti yathā sarve maharṣayaḥ

Translation

جو اس طرح دھرم کے راستے پر قائم رہے، اس کے بڑے اور چھوٹے سب گناہ جل جاتے ہیں؛ اور وہ مرنے پر سب مہارشیوں کی طرح موکش (نجات) پا لیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• वृत्तस्य: of (one) who has acted thus/of such conduct
• वृत्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of such conduct/one who has acted thus)

• दह्यन्ते: are burnt
• दह्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (pl.); आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: are burnt)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृस्थानी (in passive: subject)

• उच्च-अवचानि: high and low (i.e., various)
• उच्च-अवचानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (high and low; various) विशेषणम् पापानाम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• मृतः: the dead (person)
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (dead person)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/just as)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sadācāra burns accumulated pāpa (major/minor) and culminates in mukti at death.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as a prerequisite for jñāna/mokṣa; karma-kṣaya through dharmic living.

Application: Maintain disciplined conduct (truthfulness, restraint, non-harm, purity); treat daily ethics as a sādhanā aimed at end-of-life clarity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Mokṣa-oriented passages): recurring motif that dharma and vrata destroy pāpa and lead to higher gati

Characters & Entities

• Maharishis

FAQs

What is the importance of right conduct (sad-vritta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that living with proper conduct burns away both major and minor sins, making liberation attainable after death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links the soul’s post-death outcome to one’s conduct in life: a dharmic life leads to purification of pāpa and culminates in moksha, like the great sages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Focus on consistent ethical living—truthfulness, restraint, compassion, and duty—because sustained conduct is presented as a direct purifier of karma and a support for a peaceful end-of-life transition.