Shloka 85

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

जलप्रस्त्रवणं यस्तु भिन्द्यान्मत्स्यो भवेन्नरः / हरेः कथां न शृण्वन्ति ये न साधुजनस्तवम्

Transliteration

jalaprastravaṇaṃ yastu bhindyānmatsyo bhavennaraḥ / hareḥ kathāṃ na śṛṇvanti ye na sādhujanastavam

Translation

مَن يكسر مَجرى الماء أو منفذه يُولَد في ميلادٍ لاحق سمكةً. وأمّا الذين لا يصغون إلى الحكايات المقدّسة عن هاري ولا يمدحون الصالحين، فإنهم يسقطون عن طريق الدارما.

Word by Word

• जलप्रस्त्रवणम्: water-outlet/drain
• जलप्रस्त्रवणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रस्त्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (जलस्य प्रस्त्रवणम्)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• भिन्द्यात्: should break/pierce
• भिन्द्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विध्यर्थः (should break)

• मत्स्यः: a fish
• मत्स्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• हरेः: of Hari (Vishnu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• कथाम्: story/discourse
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः (negation)

• शृण्वन्ति: hear/listen
• शृण्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-ये (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः

• साधुजनस्तवम्: praise of the holy people
• साधुजनस्तवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधुजन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (साधुजनस्य स्तवम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Harming public welfare (water outlets) and neglecting devotion/listening to Hari-kathā lead to adharma and adverse rebirth.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and the purifying power of śravaṇa-kīrtana; dharma as alignment with sattva and devotion.

Application: Protect shared resources (water systems), cultivate regular listening to sacred discourse, and actively honor virtuous people to stabilize ethical conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2 (karma-vipāka/adharma consequences section)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Sadhus

FAQs

What is the karmic consequence of damaging public water channels according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that one who breaks a water outlet/channel incurs a rebirth as a fish, illustrating a specific cause-and-effect karmic result tied to harming life-supporting resources.

How does this verse connect devotion (bhakti) with dharma in the Garuda Purana?

It links righteous living with two devotional disciplines: hearing Hari-kathā (sacred discourse of Vishnu) and offering praise to the virtuous, implying that neglect of both leads to moral decline.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Protect shared water resources and public infrastructure, cultivate regular listening/reading of sacred teachings, and practice respect and appreciation for ethical, saintly persons.