Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 86

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

मानुष्यं लभ्यते कस्मादिति ब्रूते प्रसर्पति / महता पुण्ययोगेन मानुष्यं जन्म लभ्यते

Transliteration

mānuṣyaṃ labhyate kasmāditi brūte prasarpati / mahatā puṇyayogena mānuṣyaṃ janma labhyate

Translation

“Làm sao đạt được thân phận làm người?”—người ta hỏi và dò xét. Nhờ sự hội tụ công đức lớn (puṇya), chúng sinh mới được thọ sinh làm người.

Word by Word

• मानुष्यं: human state / humanity
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; here as कर्म/विषय (object/theme)

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• कस्मात्: from what? / why?
• कस्मात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Case 5), एकवचन; हेतु/कारणार्थे (ablative of cause)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ब्रूते: says
• ब्रूते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रसर्पति: crawls/creeps about
• प्रसर्पति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृप् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महता: by great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), एकवचन; विशेषण (instrumental)

• पुण्ययोगेन: by the conjunction/accumulation of merit
• पुण्ययोगेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुण्यस्य योगः)

• मानुष्यं: human birth/state
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; कर्म/विषय

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; apposition to मानुष्यं

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human birth is obtained through a great accumulation/conjunction of merit (mahā-puṇya-yoga).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (lawful fruition of deeds) as the condition for embodied opportunity; human life as a privileged sādhana-kṣetra.

Application: Treat human life as earned capital: prioritize dharma, charity, and devotion rather than squandering time in negligence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring motif of durlabha-manuṣya-janma and karma-phala inevitability (adjacent verses 2.15.89–90)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of human birth in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames human birth as a hard-won result of great merit (puṇya), implying it is a precious opportunity for dharma and liberation-oriented living.

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

It indicates that rebirth into a human condition is not random; it is shaped by accumulated merit, aligning the soul’s next embodiment with its karmic balance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human life as a rare chance: cultivate puṇya through ethical conduct, charity, truthfulness, and dharmic duties rather than wasting the opportunity in heedlessness.