Shloka 87

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

Devanagari script

देवोपकरणान्येनं गण्डमालिनमीहते / दम्भेनाचरते धर्मं गजचर्मा भवेत्तु सः

Transliteration

devopakaraṇānyenaṃ gaṇḍamālinamīhate / dambhenācarate dharmaṃ gajacarmā bhavettu saḥ

Translation

مَن يطمع في الأدوات والقرابين المخصَّصة للآلهة، ويؤدّي الدارما رياءً ونفاقًا، يُبتلى بداء تورّم الغدد؛ ثم في حالٍ لاحق يُكسى بجلد الفيل علامةَ خزيٍ وألم.

Word by Word

• देवोपकरणानि: implements/articles of the deity/temple
• देवोपकरणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (देवानाम् उपकरणानि)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• गण्डमालिनम्: having swelling/neck-glands (goitrous)
• गण्डमालिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गण्डमाला यस्य/गण्डमालिन्)

• ईहते: desires/strives for
• ईहते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दम्भेन: with hypocrisy/pretence
• दम्भेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• आचरते: practises/behaves
• आचरते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः आ-

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• गजचर्मा: elephant-hide (as a form/condition)
• गजचर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गजस्य चर्म)

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

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hypocrisy (dambha) in religious practice and theft of divine offerings lead to embodied suffering and social-spiritual disgrace.

Vedantic Theme: Outer ritual without inner purity is tamasic/rajasic; true dharma requires antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (inner cleansing).

Application: Keep religious practice sincere; do not exploit sacred institutions; cultivate integrity—align public piety with private conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: sacred site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2 (dambha/stealing offerings leading to disease)

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding theft of Deva-upakaraṇas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats taking items meant for divine worship as a grave misuse of sacred property, producing tangible karmic suffering (disease) and humiliating consequences in the after-death trajectory.

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

It links inner intent to post-mortem experience: hypocrisy and sacrilege shape the soul’s suffering states, indicating that outward religiosity without sincerity becomes a cause of painful results in Yama’s moral order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not exploit religious institutions or offerings for personal gain, and practice dharma with sincerity—ethical integrity matters more than public display.