Shloka 11

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

किं चाश्रुत्वातः पश्चाच्चतुर्जन्मसु भूतले / एकदेहान्मानुषत्वं भविष्यति न संशयः

Transliteration

kiṃ cāśrutvātaḥ paścāccaturjanmasu bhūtale / ekadehānmānuṣatvaṃ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

وفوق ذلك، بعد سماع هذا القول، ففي الولادات الأربع التالية على ظهر الأرض، سينال المرءُ يقينًا مرتبةَ الإنسان في حياةٍ واحدةٍ متجسِّدة؛ لا ريب في ذلك.

Word by Word

• किम्: and what/moreover
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्न/अनुयोगार्थक निपात (interrogative particle: and what?/moreover)

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

• अश्रुत्वा: not having heard
• अश्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘not having heard’ (अ-निषेध)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अस्मात् कारणार्थक (therefore/from this)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (afterwards)

• चतुः-जन्मसु: in four births
• चतुः-जन्मसु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (चत्वारि जन्मानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• एक-देहात्: from one body
• एक-देहात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (एकः देहः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• मानुषत्वम्: human-ness/human birth
• मानुषत्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुषत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being human)

• भविष्यति: will be/occur
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic pronouncements shape successive births; human embodiment is a definite, consequential attainment within saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra and karma-vipāka; human birth as durlabha opportunity (sādhana-yogya deha).

Application: Treat human life as a rare chance: prioritize ethical living, devotion, and self-knowledge rather than repeating harmful patterns.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: world/plane

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17.10 (curse as cause); Garuda Purana 3.17.12-13 (specific relational fruits across births)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing (śravaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that simply hearing the teaching carries a definite fruit: it supports the soul’s return to a human state, emphasizing śravaṇa as a powerful purifier and merit-producing act.

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

It links post-death destiny with spiritual exposure: the act of hearing sacred instruction influences subsequent rebirths, culminating in assured human birth within a limited number of lifetimes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly listen to or study sacred texts with sincerity, and pair it with ethical living—treating spiritual learning as a discipline that shapes character and future outcomes.