Shloka 14
Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite
अग्निदो गरदश्चैव कूटसाक्षी च मद्यपः / यज्ञविध्वंसकश्चैव राज्ञीगामी च पैशुनः
agnido garadaścaiva kūṭasākṣī ca madyapaḥ / yajñavidhvaṃsakaścaiva rājñīgāmī ca paiśunaḥ
مُشعِلُ الحريق، وواهبُ السُّمّ، وشاهدُ الزور، وشاربُ الخمر؛ ومُخرِّبُ شعائر اليَجْنَة، ومُغوي زوجةِ الغير، والنمّامُ الخبيث—كلُّ هؤلاء يُعَدّون من أصحاب الذنوب العظيمة.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Certain acts—arson, poisoning, perjury, intoxication, disrupting yajña, adultery, slander—are marked as grievous adharma with heavy karmic weight.
Vedantic Theme: Adharma as tamasic/rajasic distortion of right order; karma accrues through body, speech, and mind.
Application: Avoid harm and deceit; maintain sobriety; protect communal religious/civic institutions; practice sexual restraint and truthful speech.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of sinners and corresponding narakas often follow such catalogues
FAQs
This verse categorizes specific acts as grave adharma, warning that such karmas create severe post-death consequences and obstruct a favorable afterlife course.
In the Preta Kanda, moral transgressions are linked to Yama’s judgment and suffering in post-mortem states; this verse identifies deeds that lead to harsh outcomes for the departed.
Avoid harm (arson/poisoning), uphold truth in speech and law (no perjury or slander), maintain sobriety, protect sacred duties (do not disrupt rites), and practice sexual and social ethics.