Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 25

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

यावन्नाश्रयते दुः खं यावन्नायान्ति चापदः / यावन्नेन्द्रियवैकल्यं तावच्छ्रेयः समभ्यसेत्

Transliteration

yāvannāśrayate duḥ khaṃ yāvannāyānti cāpadaḥ / yāvannendriyavaikalyaṃ tāvacchreyaḥ samabhyaset

Translation

只要忧苦尚未缠身，只要灾厄尚未来临，只要诸根尚未衰退——在此之前，应当勤修真正有益之道（灵性福祉）。

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
• Form: कालपरिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (as long as)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात

• आश्रयते: takes refuge in / befalls
• आश्रयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालपरिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (as long as)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात

• आयान्ति: come
• आयान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• आपदः: calamities
• आपदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालपरिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (as long as)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात

• इन्द्रियवैकल्यम्: impairment of the senses
• इन्द्रियवैकल्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रियवैकल्य (प्रातिपदिक: इन्द्रिय + वैकल्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रियाणां वैकल्यम्)

• तावत्: until then/so long
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/कालवाचक-अव्यय (until then/so long)

• श्रेयः: the good
• श्रेयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• समभ्यसेत्: should practice
• समभ्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-√अस् (धातु) [अभ्यस्यति]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pursue śreyas (true welfare) before suffering, calamity, and sensory decline make practice difficult.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) and vairāgya (dispassion) grounded in the fragility of embodied life; prioritizing sādhana while instruments (indriyas) are intact.

Application: Begin daily spiritual discipline now—japa, study, meditation, ethical living—rather than postponing until illness/old age/crisis.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.26-29 (same exhortation: practice now; impermanence; delusion)

FAQs

What is the importance of pursuing śreyas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses urgency: before suffering, disasters, or sensory decline arise, one should actively cultivate śreyas—lasting spiritual good—so life’s final phase is supported by dharma and inner preparedness.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

In the Preta Kanda setting, it implies that end-of-life weakness can obstruct practice; therefore, spiritual merits and right conduct should be built earlier to aid the jīva’s post-death journey and accountability under karmic law.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin consistent dharma and sādhana now—ethical living, remembrance of God, charity, and disciplined habits—rather than postponing until illness, crisis, or old age reduces clarity and capacity.