Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 18

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्दिने न सेव्यन्ते स वृथा दिवसो नृणाम् / अनित्यमध्रुवं देहमनाधारं रसोद्भवम्

Transliteration

yasmindine na sevyante sa vṛthā divaso nṛṇām / anityamadhruvaṃ dehamanādhāraṃ rasodbhavam

Translation

Ngày nào con người không thực hành phụng sự thiêng liêng (seva) thì ngày ấy là uổng phí. Vì thân này vô thường, không bền chắc, không có chỗ nương tựa lâu dài, chỉ sinh từ tinh chất và các dịch thể.

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण); एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धः—यः...तस्मिन् (relative)

• दिने: on a day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण); एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• सेव्यन्ते: are served/are practiced
• सेव्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लट् (Present); प्रयोगः—कर्मणि (passive); पुरुषः—प्रथम; वचनम्—बहुवचनम्

• सः: that (day)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनम्

• वृथा: in vain, uselessly
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: in vain)

• दिवसः: day
• दिवसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनम्

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध); बहुवचनम्

• अनित्यम्: impermanent
• अनित्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—देहम्

• अध्रुवम्: unstable, not lasting
• अध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—देहम्

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); एकवचनम्

• अनाधारम्: without support, baseless
• अनाधारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—देहम्

• रसोद्भवम्: born of rasa (bodily fluids/essence)
• रसोद्भवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रस + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रसात् उद्भवः = arising from essence/juice); विशेषणम्—देहम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A day without spiritual service is wasted because the body is transient, unstable, and dependent—unfit as a final refuge.

Vedantic Theme: Anitya-deha viveka and vairāgya; the body as āśraya-abhāva (no lasting support), prompting pursuit of the enduring Self/Brahman or devotion to the Lord.

Application: Treat each day as a unit of sādhana: prayer, japa, study, service, and ethical action; reduce procrastination by remembering bodily impermanence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated anitya-deha reflections used to motivate dharma, śrāddha, and bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Humans (nṛṇām)

FAQs

What is the importance of daily seva or spiritual practice in the Garuda Purana?

This verse says a day without seva is wasted because the body is fleeting; therefore one should use time for dharma, worship, and merit-building acts rather than delay.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in Preta Kanda?

Preta Kanda stresses preparation for the post-death journey; by highlighting the body’s instability, the verse urges turning toward lasting spiritual merit that supports the jīva beyond bodily death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat each day as limited: do some dharmic action—japa, charity, prayer, service to elders/guests, or study—so life is not spent only on temporary bodily concerns.