Shloka 2

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

संसारचक्रं वक्ष्ये ऽहमादाबुत्क्रान्तिकालतः / यद्विना पुरुषार्थो न लीनः स्यात्परमात्मनि

Transliteration

saṃsāracakraṃ vakṣye 'hamādābutkrāntikālataḥ / yadvinā puruṣārtho na līnaḥ syātparamātmani

Translation

Ta sẽ giảng về bánh xe luân hồi (saṃsāra), bắt đầu từ thời khắc lìa thân (lúc chết). Vì nếu không hiểu điều này, mục đích của đời người không thể hòa nhập vào Đại Ngã Tối Thượng (Paramātman).

Word by Word

• संसारचक्रम्: the cycle of saṃsāra
• संसारचक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (saṃsārasya cakram)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (I shall speak)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; लिङ्ग-अनियत (pronoun)

• आदात्: from the beginning
• आदात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आद (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भार्थक (from the beginning)

• उत्क्रान्तिकालतः: from the time of departure (death)
• उत्क्रान्तिकालतः: Apadana (Source/Starting point/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्क्रान्ति + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (utkrānteḥ kālaḥ → time of departure)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपातः; वियोगार्थक (without)

• पुरुषार्थः: human goal/purpose
• पुरुषार्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (puruṣasya arthaḥ)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• लीनः: merged/absorbed
• लीनः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ली (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle) ‘लीन’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाच्ये विशेषणरूपेण (merged)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमात्मनि: in the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (paramaḥ ātmā → Supreme Self)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Understanding the saṃsāra-cakra from the time of death is necessary for the puruṣārtha to culminate in absorption into Paramātman.

Vedantic Theme: Mokṣa as paramātma-laya (abidance/absorption in the Supreme Self); death as a pedagogical gateway to discern karma’s continuity and the need for liberation.

Application: Keep death-awareness (maraṇa-smṛti) to prioritize sādhana; study post-death teachings to reduce fear and strengthen ethical living and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.225.1 (three tāpas; jñāna-vairāgya leading to liberation); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections broadly (utkrānti, preta-journey, karma-phala)

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman

FAQs

What is the importance of understanding the saṃsāra-cakra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that knowing the cycle of worldly existence—starting from the moment of death—supports the true puruṣārtha, enabling one’s life-goal to move toward absorption in the Paramātman.

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

It signals that the teaching begins at utkrānti-kāla (the soul’s departure from the body), implying that after-death stages are integral to understanding saṃsāra and orienting the seeker toward liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with the awareness of impermanence: align actions (dharma, self-discipline, devotion, and right knowledge) so that life’s purpose steadily turns toward realization of the Supreme Self rather than mere worldly aims.