Shloka 4

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

यथा तृणजलौकेति न्यायमा श्रित्य कञ्चन / देहिनो ऽन्यतनुप्राप्तिं केचित्त्वेवं वदन्ति हि

Transliteration

yathā tṛṇajalauketi nyāyamā śritya kañcana / dehino 'nyatanuprāptiṃ kecittvevaṃ vadanti hi

Translation

Nương theo châm ngôn «lưỡi cỏ và con đỉa», có người quả quyết rằng linh hồn mang thân xác đạt được một thân khác cũng theo cách như vậy.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (यथार्थे/उपमानार्थे)

• तृण: grass
• तृण: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• जलौका: leech
• जलौका: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलौका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• इति: thus (called)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• तृणजलौका: ‘grass-leech’ (a leech like grass)
• तृणजलौका: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण + जलौका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (तृणसदृशी जलौका), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (न्याय-विशेषणरूपेण)

• न्यायम्: the maxim/analogy
• न्यायम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + श्रि (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having resorted to’

• कञ्चन: someone
• कञ्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनामार्थे ‘कश्चन’

• देहिनः: of the embodied being
• देहिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्य: another
• अन्य: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• तनु: body
• तनु: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• प्राप्तिम्: attainment
• प्राप्तिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्यतनुप्राप्तिम्: attainment of another body
• अन्यतनुप्राप्तिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य + तनु + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अन्यस्याः तन्वाः प्राप्तिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केचित्: some people
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘some’

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

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• वदन्ति: say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Re-embodiment (dehāntara-prāpti) explained via the ‘tṛṇa-jalauka’ maxim: the jīva shifts support from one body to another, implying continuity amid change driven by karma.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra mechanics: continuity of the subtle principle across gross bodies; karma as the causal link; distinction between changing upādhis (bodies) and the enduring self (ātman).

Application: Reflect on impermanence of the body and accountability of actions; cultivate detachment and ethical living to shape future outcomes and seek release from repeated embodiment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: rebirth/karma explanations and subtle-body travel themes recur in Pretakalpa and upadeśa sections (edition-dependent).

Characters & Entities

• Dehina (Jiva)
• Tṛṇa (blade of grass)
• Jalaukā (leech)

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘leech and grass’ maxim in the Garuda Purana?

It illustrates continuity in transmigration: as a leech holds one support while reaching for another, the jīva is described as moving on to a new embodiment in an orderly, connected way rather than randomly.

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

It presents a doctrinal model where the embodied being (jīva) transitions to another body, implying a carried continuity (often understood as through the subtle body and karmic momentum) during the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness of karmic continuity—choices shape future conditions—so cultivate dharma, self-restraint, and compassionate action as preparations for a favorable onward journey.