Shloka 24

अव्यक्त–प्रकृति–इन्द्रियविचारः

The Unmanifest, Prakṛtis, and the Sense-Complex

Devanagari script

अधस्तिर्यग्गतिं चैव स्वर्गे चैव परां गतिम्‌ । प्राप्रोति स्वकृतैरात्मा प्राज्ञस्येहेतरस्य च

Transliteration

adhastiryaggatiṁ caiva svarge caiva parāṁ gatim | prāpnoti svakṛtair ātmā prājñasyehetarasya ca ||

Translation

波罗娑罗说：在此世间，无论是智者还是迷者，真我都将——完全依其自作之业——趋向下行之途（地狱等苦趣）、横行之途（转生为禽兽）、天界，乃至最高的归宿。

Word by Word

• अधः: downwards (to lower realms)
• अधः: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस्

• तिर्यक्-गतिम्: the horizontal/animal course (birth among animals, birds etc.)
• तिर्यक्-गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यक्-गति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पराम्: supreme/highest
• पराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतिम्: state/goal/destination
• गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्नोति: attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्वकृतैः: by one’s own deeds
• स्वकृतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वकृत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• आत्मा: the self/soul
• आत्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राज्ञस्य: of the wise person
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• इतरस्य: of the other (the unwise)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• ātmā
• svarga
• parā gati
• tiryak (animals/birds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the self’s destiny—hellish descent, animal birth, heaven, or the highest goal—follows one’s own actions. Wisdom or ignorance does not override karmic causality; deeds are decisive.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Parāśara instructs on the moral law of karma and its results, explaining how different post-death destinations arise from one’s conduct.