Shloka 19

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

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

पुरा वयं तु शप्ताः स्म ब्रह्मणा क्रोधरूपिणा / एकदेहान्मानुषत्वमवाप्स्यथ वराङ्गनाः

Transliteration

purā vayaṃ tu śaptāḥ sma brahmaṇā krodharūpiṇā / ekadehānmānuṣatvamavāpsyatha varāṅganāḥ

Translation

Einst wurden wir von Brahmā in seiner zornigen Gestalt verflucht: „Aus einem einzigen Leib werdet ihr die menschliche Geburt erlangen, o Frauen mit schönen Gliedern.“

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast)

• शप्ताः: cursed
• शप्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शप् (धातु) → शप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• स्म: were
• स्म: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; सहायक-क्रिया (copula ‘were’)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/कर्तृकरण), एकवचन

• क्रोध-रूपिणा: in the form of anger/anger-formed
• क्रोध-रूपिणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ब्रह्मणः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘क्रोधस्य रूपम् यस्य’)

• एक-देहात्: from one body
• एक-देहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘एकः देहः’)

• मानुषत्वम्: human-ness/human state
• मानुषत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुषत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• अवाप्स्यथ: you will obtain
• अवाप्स्यथ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वर-अङ्गनाः: O excellent women
• वर-अङ्गनाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रयुक्तम् (vocative sense); कर्मधारयः (‘वराः अङ्गनाः’)

Speaker

Unspecified female group (speaking in first person plural; likely part of a narrative recounted to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāpa as a karmically operative divine ordinance that redirects beings into human embodiment.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra governed by adṛṣṭa/karma under īśvara-anugraha/niyati; embodiment is contingent and not ultimate identity.

Application: Treat present birth and circumstances as meaningful consequences; cultivate restraint and humility to avoid anger-driven actions that bind others/oneself.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring motif of śāpa as a causal trigger for rebirth and altered embodiment in narrative sections

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

What is the importance of a curse (śāpa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows śāpa as a karmic-sounding decree that can force a change of embodiment, such as descending into human birth, emphasizing moral causality and cosmic order.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames human birth as an obtained condition (mānuṣatva) arising from a prior cause—here, Brahmā’s curse—highlighting that one’s embodied state can be the result of past actions or divine adjudication.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human birth as a consequential and purposeful state: live with restraint and dharma, since present conduct can shape future embodiment and fate.