Shloka 15

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

पितरौ पीडयित्वा तु कच्छपत्वञ्च जायते / भुर्तुः पिण्डमुपाश्वस्तो वञ्जयित्वा तमेव यः

Transliteration

pitarau pīḍayitvā tu kacchapatvañca jāyate / bhurtuḥ piṇḍamupāśvasto vañjayitvā tameva yaḥ

Translation

Wer Vater und Mutter quält, wird als Schildkröte geboren. Und wer sich dem piṇḍa, der Speiseopfergabe für den Gatten, nähert und ihn dabei betrügt, zieht eben diese Folge im Wiedergeburtsschicksal auf sich.

Word by Word

• पितरौ: (his) parents
• पितरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual (parents/father and mother)

• पीडयित्वा: having tormented
• पीडयित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √पीड् (धातु) → पीडयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive); having tormented

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• कच्छपत्वम्: tortoise-hood (being a tortoise)
• कच्छपत्वम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कच्छपत्व (प्रातिपदिक; कच्छप + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (state of being a tortoise)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भर्तुः: of (one's) husband/master
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• पिण्डम्: food ball/oblation (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• उपाश्वस्तः: having consumed
• उपाश्वस्तः: Karta (Agent-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप√श्वस् (धातु) → उपाश्वस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'having eaten/consumed' (contextual)

• वञ्चयित्वा: having deceived
• वञ्चयित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √वञ्च् (धातु) → वञ्चयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; having deceived

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun nominative singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Harming parents and deceiving within the sanctity of household/offerings leads to constricted, burdened embodiment (tortoise) and comparable karmic return.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as purifier of mind; violation of relational duties strengthens bondage and tamas.

Application: Care for parents; maintain honesty in family resources and ritual food; uphold trust in marriage and household responsibilities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: duties to parents and consequences of pitṛ-droha (various dharma/pretakalpa passages); Garuda Purana: śrāddha and food-offering sanctity themes (elsewhere)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of honoring parents in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that tormenting one’s parents leads to a degrading rebirth (here, as a tortoise), emphasizing parental service as a core dharmic duty with direct karmic consequences.

How does this verse relate to piṇḍa offerings and ritual ethics?

It warns that deceit connected with a husband’s piṇḍa/food-offering is not merely social misconduct but a karmic fault that produces adverse rebirth, showing that ritual contexts demand truthfulness and purity of intent.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Care for parents without cruelty or neglect, and practice honesty—especially around family duties and religious/ancestral rites—since the Purana frames these as actions with lasting karmic impact.