Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

महापातकजान्घोरान्नरकान्प्राप्य दारुणान् / कर्मक्षयात्प्रजायन्ते महापातकिनः क्षितौ

Transliteration

mahāpātakajānghorānnarakānprāpya dāruṇān / karmakṣayātprajāyante mahāpātakinaḥ kṣitau

Translation

Nachdem sie die schrecklichen und grausamen Höllen erreicht haben, die aus den großen Sünden entstehen, werden die großen Sünder auf Erden wiedergeboren, sobald die Frucht jenes Karma erschöpft ist.

Word by Word

• महापातकजात्: born from great sins
• महापातकजात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापातक (प्रातिपदिक) + जात (कृदन्त; √जन् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘जात’ = ‘born/produced’

• घोरान्: terrible
• घोरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• नरकान्: hells
• नरकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) ‘having reached/after attaining’

• दारुणान्: cruel, dreadful
• दारुणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• कर्मक्षयात्: from the exhaustion of (their) karma
• कर्मक्षयात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘कर्मणः क्षयः’

• प्रजायन्ते: are born, come into existence
• प्रजायन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• महापातकिनः: great sinners (committers of mahāpātakas)
• महापातकिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• क्षितौ: on earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala is finite in specific realms; after experiencing hellish results, the jiva returns to earth when that particular karma is exhausted.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandhana and samsara-cakra; experiential fruition (bhoga) of papa leading to renewed embodiment.

Application: Avoid mahāpātakas; cultivate restraint and expiation early, recognizing that suffering is not ‘eternal punishment’ but karmic consequence that still perpetuates samsara.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic realms / earthly plane

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: naraka descriptions and post-naraka rebirth sequences (adjacent adhyayas on mahāpātaka and yonis); Garuda Purana on karma-kṣaya and punarjanma in pretakalpa sections

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of mahāpātaka (great sins) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that mahāpātakas generate severe hell-experiences (narakas), showing that grave ethical transgressions have specific, painful consequences before the soul returns to embodied life.

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

It presents a sequence: great sin → entry into dreadful narakas → suffering until the karma’s fruit is exhausted → rebirth on earth, implying hell is a karmic result rather than an eternal state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat actions as carrying unavoidable results: avoid grave harms, practice dharma and restitution, and adopt disciplined living so that one does not accumulate causes leading to severe post-death suffering.