Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 4

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच / धर्मार्थकामं चिरमोक्षसञ्चयमन्यं द्वितीयं यममार्गगामिनाम् / प्रविश्यचाङ्गुष्ठसमे स तत्र वै तं प्राप्य देहं स्वमन्दिरम्?

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca / dharmārthakāmaṃ ciramokṣasañcayamanyaṃ dvitīyaṃ yamamārgagāminām / praviśyacāṅguṣṭhasame sa tatra vai taṃ prāpya dehaṃ svamandiram?

Translation

世尊曰：凡行于阎摩之路者，尚有另一第二之身，约如拇指之量；由法（dharma）、利（artha）、欲（kāma）之果报与久积趋向解脱（mokṣa）之习气所凝成。灵魂入彼身中，即以此身为自家居处。

Word by Word

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् भगवān)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• dharma-artha-kāmam: dharma, wealth, and desire
• dharma-artha-kāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); द्वन्द्व-समाहारः (धर्मश्चार्थश्च कामश्च)

• cira-mokṣa-sañcayam: accumulation of long-term liberation
• cira-mokṣa-sañcayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक) + mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sañcaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (चिरस्य/दीर्घस्य मोक्षस्य सञ्चयः)

• anyam: another
• anyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dvitīyam: second
• dvitīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• yama-mārga-gāminām: of those who go on Yama’s path
• yama-mārga-gāminām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (यममार्गं गच्छन्ति ये)

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-viś (धातु) → praviśya (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• aṅguṣṭha-same: in/at (a place) the size of a thumb
• aṅguṣṭha-same: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (अङ्गुष्ठेन समः)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• tam: that (one)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāpya: having attained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-āp (धातु) → prāpya (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्यय)

• deham: body
• deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-mandiram: one’s own abode
• sva-mandiram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + mandira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (स्वं मन्दिरम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrī Bhagavān)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A ‘second’ thumb-sized embodiment arises from accumulated karmic deposits (dharma/artha/kāma and latent mokṣa-saṃskāras) and becomes the jīva’s dwelling during the Yama-journey.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma-śarīra/ātivāhika-śarīra as the vehicle of experience after death; karma as the architect of embodiment; saṃskāra as continuity across births.

Application: Cultivate dharma and purifying saṃskāras (especially bhakti and jñāna tendencies) while alive; remember that post-mortem experience is structured by one’s accumulated habits and merits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: liminal road/route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of the aṅguṣṭha-mātra/ātivāhika body and the Yama-mārga journey (nearby adhyāyas in Preta-khaṇḍa/Pretakalpa); Garuda Purana: discussions of subtle body, messengers of Yama, and post-death transit mechanics

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'thumb-sized' subtle body in Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that after death the jīva takes on a second, subtle embodiment described as aṅguṣṭha-same (thumb-sized), which becomes the vehicle for travel on Yama’s path and for experiencing karmic outcomes.

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

It frames the post-death journey as movement along Yama-mārga, where the soul ‘enters’ and ‘attains’ a new body that functions as its dwelling—implying a transition from the gross body to a subtle, journey-capable form.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and self-restraint, recognizing that desires and actions shape post-death experience; support dharmic conduct and appropriate śrāddha-related duties with a focus on ethical living and inner purification.