Garuda Purana — Uttara Khanda (Pretakalpa) — Chapter 12
GaP 2 12.1
श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम्- १२ श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । एवं ते कथितस्तार्क्ष्य जीवितस्य विनर्णयः । मानुषाणां हितार्थाय प्रेतत्वविनिवृत्तये
śrīgaruḍamahāpurāṇam- 12 śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / evaṃ te kathitastārkṣya jīvitasya vinarṇayaḥ / mānuṣāṇāṃ hitārthāya pretatvavinivṛttaye
The Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, 12. Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Thus, O Tārkṣya, the account of life has been told to you, for the benefit of men, for the ending of the state of being a preta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.2
चतुरशीतिलक्षाणि चतुर्भेदाश्च जन्तवः । अण्डजाः स्वेदजाश्चैव उद्भिज्जाश्च जारायुजाः
caturaśītilakṣāṇi caturbhedāśca jantavaḥ / aṇḍajāḥ svedajāścaiva udbhijjāśca jārāyujāḥ
Living beings are eighty-four lakhs (in number) and of four kinds: egg-born, sweat-born, sprout-born, and womb-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.3
एकविंशतिलक्षाणि अण्डजाः परिकीर्तिताः । स्वेदजाश्च तथा प्रोक्ता उद्भिज्जाश्च क्रमेण तु
ekaviṃśatilakṣāṇi aṇḍajāḥ parikīrtitāḥ / svedajāśca tathā proktā udbhijjāśca krameṇa tu
Twenty-one lakhs are declared to be egg-born; and likewise the sweat-born and the sprout-born are stated (to be that many), each in turn.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.4
जरायुजास्तथा प्रोक्ता मनुष्याद्यास्तथा परे । सर्वेषामेव जन्तूनां मानुषत्वं हि दुर्लभम्
jarāyujāstathā proktā manuṣyādyāstathā pare / sarveṣāmeva jantūnāṃ mānuṣatvaṃ hi durlabham
So too the womb-born are declared, and likewise the others, human and the rest. Of all beings, indeed, the human state is hard to attain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.5
पञ्चेन्द्रियनिधानत्वं महापुण्यैरवाप्यते । ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्त्रिया वैश्याः शूद्रास्तत्परजातयः
pañcendriyanidhānatvaṃ mahāpuṇyairavāpyate / brāhmaṇāḥ kṣattriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāstatparajātayaḥ
The possession of the five senses is attained through great merits. Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, and the castes beyond those—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.6
रजकश्चर्मकारश्च नटो बुरुड एव च । कैवर्तमेदभिल्लाश्च सप्तैते ह्यन्त्यजाः स्मृताः
rajakaścarmakāraśca naṭo buruḍa eva ca / kaivartamedabhillāśca saptaite hyantyajāḥ smṛtāḥ
The washerman, the leather-worker, the actor, and the basket-weaver (buruḍa), the fisherman, the meda and the bhilla — these seven are declared to be the lowest-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.7
म्लेच्छतुम्बविभेदेन जातिभेदास्त्वनेकशः । जन्तूनामेव सर्वेषां जातिभेदाः सहस्रशः
mlecchatumbavibhedena jātibhedāstvanekaśaḥ / jantūnāmeva sarveṣāṃ jātibhedāḥ sahasraśaḥ
With the divisions of the mlecchas and the tumbas (?), the divisions of birth are indeed manifold; of all living beings the divisions of birth are by the thousand.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 12.8
जन्तूनामेव सर्वेषां भेदाश्चैव सहस्रशः । आहारो मैथुनं निद्रा भयं क्रोधस्तथैव च
jantūnāmeva sarveṣāṃ bhedāścaiva sahasraśaḥ / āhāro maithunaṃ nidrā bhayaṃ krodhastathaiva ca
Of all living beings the distinctions are indeed by the thousand; (yet) food, mating, sleep, fear and likewise anger (are common to them).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.9
सर्वेषा मेव जन्तूनां विवेको दुर्लभः परः । एकपादादिरूपेण देहभेदास्त्वनेकशः
sarveṣā meva jantūnāṃ viveko durlabhaḥ paraḥ / ekapādādirūpeṇa dehabhedāstvanekaśaḥ
For all living beings discernment is supremely hard to obtain; and in the forms of one-footed (creatures) and the rest, the varieties of body are manifold.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.10
कृष्णसारो मृगो यत्र धर्मदशः स उच्यते । ब्रह्माद्या देवताः सर्वास्तत्र तिष्ठन्ति सर्वशः
kṛṣṇasāro mṛgo yatra dharmadaśaḥ sa ucyate / brahmādyā devatāḥ sarvāstatra tiṣṭhanti sarvaśaḥ
Where the black antelope, the deer, (is found), that (land) is called a giver of dharma; there all the deities beginning with Brahmā abide in every way.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 12.11
भूतानां प्राणिनः श्रेष्ठाः प्राणिनां मतिजीविनः । मतिमत्सु नराः श्रेष्ठा नरेषु ब्राह्मणाः स्मृताः
bhūtānāṃ prāṇinaḥ śreṣṭhāḥ prāṇināṃ matijīvinaḥ / matimatsu narāḥ śreṣṭhā nareṣu brāhmaṇāḥ smṛtāḥ
Among beings the living are best; among the living, those that live by intelligence; among the intelligent, men are best; and among men, brahmins are held (to be best).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.12
मानुष्यं यः समासाद्य स्वर्गमेक्षैकसाधकम् । तयोर्न साधयेदेकं तेनात्मा वञ्चितो ध्रुवम्
mānuṣyaṃ yaḥ samāsādya svargamekṣaikasādhakam / tayorna sādhayedekaṃ tenātmā vañcito dhruvam
He who, having attained human birth — which alone accomplishes heaven and liberation — does not accomplish one of these two, by that his own self is surely cheated.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.13
इच्छति शती सहस्रं सहस्री लक्षमीहते कर्तुम् । लक्षाधिपती राज्यं राजापि सकलां धरां लब्धुम्
icchati śatī sahasraṃ sahasrī lakṣamīhate kartum / lakṣādhipatī rājyaṃ rājāpi sakalāṃ dharāṃ labdhum
The man with a hundred wants a thousand; the man with a thousand strives to make a hundred thousand; the lord of a hundred thousand (wants) a kingdom; and even a king (wants) to obtain the whole earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.14
चक्रधरो ऽपि सुरत्वं सुरभावे सकलसुरपतिर्भवितुम् । सुरपतिरूर्ध्वगतित्वं तथापि ननिवर्तते तृष्णा
cakradharo 'pi suratvaṃ surabhāve sakalasurapatirbhavitum / surapatirūrdhvagatitvaṃ tathāpi nanivartate tṛṣṇā
Even the wielder of the discus (wants) godhood; in the state of a god, to become lord of all the gods; the lord of the gods (wants) the highest station — even so thirst does not cease.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.15
तृष्णया चाभिभूतस्तु नरकं प्रतिपद्यते । तृष्णामुक्तास्तु ये केचित्स्वर्गवासं लभन्ति ते
tṛṣṇayā cābhibhūtastu narakaṃ pratipadyate / tṛṣṇāmuktāstu ye kecitsvargavāsaṃ labhanti te
Overcome by thirst (greed), one goes to hell; but whoever are freed from thirst, they obtain a dwelling in heaven.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.18
आत्माधीनः पुमांल्लोके सुखी भवति निश्चितम् । शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च तद्गुणाः ॥ गर्प्_२,१२।१६ ॥ तथा च विषयाधीनो दुः खी भवति निश्चितम् ॥ गर्प्_२,१२।१७ ॥ कुरङ्गमताङ्गपतङ्गभृङ्गमीना हताः पञ्चभिरेव पञ्च । एकः प्रमादी स कथं न हन्यते यः सेवते पञ्चभिरेव पञ्च
ātmādhīnaḥ pumāṃlloke sukhī bhavati niścitam / śabdaḥ sparśaśca rūpaṃ ca raso gandhaśca tadguṇāḥ // garp_2,12.16 // tathā ca viṣayādhīno duḥ khī bhavati niścitam // garp_2,12.17 // kuraṅgamatāṅgapataṅgabhṛṅgamīnā hatāḥ pañcabhireva pañca / ekaḥ pramādī sa kathaṃ na hanyate yaḥ sevate pañcabhireva pañca
A man who is dependent on himself becomes happy in the world, for certain. Sound, touch, form, taste and smell are its qualities. [12.16] And likewise one dependent on the sense-objects becomes unhappy, for certain. [12.17] Deer, elephant, moth, bee and fish — five slain by just five; how is that one heedless man not slain who resorts to five by means of five?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.19
पितृमातृमयो बाल्ये यौवने दयितामयः । पुत्रपौत्रमयश्चान्ते मूढो नात्ममयः क्वचित्
pitṛmātṛmayo bālye yauvane dayitāmayaḥ / putrapautramayaścānte mūḍho nātmamayaḥ kvacit
In childhood he is wholly (given over) to father and mother, in youth to his beloved, and at the end to sons and grandsons — the fool is never at any time given over to his own self.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.20
लोहदारुमयैः पाशैः पुमान्बद्धो विमुच्यते । पुत्रदारमयैः पाशैर्नैव बद्धो विमुच्यते
lohadārumayaiḥ pāśaiḥ pumānbaddho vimucyate / putradāramayaiḥ pāśairnaiva baddho vimucyate
A man bound by fetters made of iron and wood is (still) released; but bound by fetters made of sons and wife he is not released at all.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.21
एकः करोति पापानि फलं भुङ्क्ते महाजनः । भोक्तारो विप्रयुज्यन्ते कर्ता दोषेण लिप्यते
ekaḥ karoti pāpāni phalaṃ bhuṅkte mahājanaḥ / bhoktāro viprayujyante kartā doṣeṇa lipyate
One man commits the sins, (but) a great many people enjoy the fruit; the enjoyers are set free, (while) the doer is smeared with the fault.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.22
को ऽपि मृत्युं न जयति बालो वृद्धो युवापि वा । सुखदुः खादिको वापि पुनरायाति याति च
ko 'pi mṛtyuṃ na jayati bālo vṛddho yuvāpi vā / sukhaduḥ khādiko vāpi punarāyāti yāti ca
No one conquers death, whether child, old man, or youth, whether given to pleasure or to pain; (each) comes and goes again.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.23
सर्वेषां पश्यतामेव मृतः सर्वं परित्यजेत् । एकः प्रजायते जन्तुरेक एव प्रलीयते
sarveṣāṃ paśyatāmeva mṛtaḥ sarvaṃ parityajet / ekaḥ prajāyate jantureka eva pralīyate
While all look on, the dead man must abandon everything; alone the creature is born, and alone indeed he perishes.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.24
एको ऽपि भुङ्क्ते सुकृतमेक एव च दुष्कृतम् । मृतं शरीरमुत्सृज्य काष्ठलोष्टसमङ्क्षितौ
eko 'pi bhuṅkte sukṛtameka eva ca duṣkṛtam / mṛtaṃ śarīramutsṛjya kāṣṭhaloṣṭasamaṅkṣitau
Alone too he enjoys his good deeds, and alone his evil deeds; having cast off the dead body, (which is discarded) like a log or a clod of earth,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 12.25
बान्धवा विमुखा यान्ति धर्मस्तमनुगच्छति । गृहेष्वर्था निवर्तन्ते श्मशानान्मित्रबान्धवाः
bāndhavā vimukhā yānti dharmastamanugacchati / gṛheṣvarthā nivartante śmaśānānmitrabāndhavāḥ
the kinsmen turn away and depart, (but) dharma follows him; wealth stops at the house, friends and kinsmen at the cremation ground.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.26
शरीरं वह्निरादत्ते सुकृतं दुष्कृतं व्रजेत् । शरीरं वह्निना दग्धं पुण्यं पापं सह स्थितम्
śarīraṃ vahnirādatte sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ vrajet / śarīraṃ vahninā dagdhaṃ puṇyaṃ pāpaṃ saha sthitam
The fire takes the body; the good deed and the bad deed go on. The body is burnt by fire, (but) the merit and the sin remain along (with him).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.27
शुभं वा यदि वा पापं भुङ्क्ते सर्वत्र मानवः । यदनस्तमिते सूर्ये न दत्तं धनमर्थिनाम्
śubhaṃ vā yadi vā pāpaṃ bhuṅkte sarvatra mānavaḥ / yadanastamite sūrye na dattaṃ dhanamarthinām
Whether good or whether evil, a man everywhere enjoys (it). Whatever wealth is not given to those who ask before the sun has set —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.28
न जाने तस्य तद्वित्तं प्रातः कस्य भविष्यति । रारटीति धनं तस्य को मे भर्ता भविष्यति
na jāne tasya tadvittaṃ prātaḥ kasya bhaviṣyati / rāraṭīti dhanaṃ tasya ko me bhartā bhaviṣyati
"I do not know whose that wealth of his will be tomorrow morning"—his wealth cries aloud, "Who will be my master?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.29
न दत्तं द्विजमुख्येभ्यः परोपकृतये तथा । पूर्वजन्मकृतात्पुण्याद्यल्लब्धं बहु चाल्पकम्
na dattaṃ dvijamukhyebhyaḥ paropakṛtaye tathā / pūrvajanmakṛtātpuṇyādyallabdhaṃ bahu cālpakam
(It) was not given to the foremost twice-born, nor for the benefit of others—that which, much or little, was obtained through merit made in a former birth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.30
तदीदृशं परिज्ञाय धर्मार्थे दीयते धनम् । धनेन धार्यते धर्मः श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा
tadīdṛśaṃ parijñāya dharmārthe dīyate dhanam / dhanena dhāryate dharmaḥ śraddhāpūtena cetasā
Knowing that it is of such a nature, wealth should be given for the sake of dharma; by wealth dharma is upheld, with a mind purified by faith.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.31
श्रद्धाविरहितो धर्मो नेहामुत्र च तत्फलम् । धर्माच्च जायते ह्यर्थो धर्मात्कामो ऽपि जायते
śraddhāvirahito dharmo nehāmutra ca tatphalam / dharmācca jāyate hyartho dharmātkāmo 'pi jāyate
Dharma devoid of faith (bears) no fruit here or in the world beyond; and from dharma wealth is born, from dharma desire too is born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.32
धर्म एवापवर्गाय तस्माद्धर्मं समाचरेत् । श्रद्धया साध्यते धर्मो बहुभिर्नार्थराशिभिः
dharma evāpavargāya tasmāddharmaṃ samācaret / śraddhayā sādhyate dharmo bahubhirnārtharāśibhiḥ
Dharma alone (leads) to release; therefore one should practise dharma. Dharma is accomplished by faith, not by great heaps of wealth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 12.33
अकिञ्चना हि मुनयः श्रद्धावन्तो दिवं गताः । अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । असदित्युच्यते पक्षिन्प्रेत्य चेह न तत्फलम्
akiñcanā hi munayaḥ śraddhāvanto divaṃ gatāḥ / aśraddhayā hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat / asadityucyate pakṣinpretya ceha na tatphalam
For sages who possessed nothing, but had faith, went to heaven. What is offered in fire, given, the austerity practised, and whatever is done without faith—that is called unreal, O bird, and its fruit (is) neither after death nor here.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition