Shloka 81
The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths
फलानि हरते यस्तु सन्ततिर्म्रियते खग / अदत्त्वा भक्ष्यमश्राति ह्यनपत्यो भवेन्नरः
phalāni harate yastu santatirmriyate khaga / adattvā bhakṣyamaśrāti hyanapatyo bhavennaraḥ
O Vogel, wer Früchte stiehlt, dessen Geschlecht vergeht. Und der Mann, der isst, ohne zuvor gegeben zu haben, wird kinderlos.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Aparigraha/asteya and the duty to share food before personal enjoyment; violations harm progeny and continuity.
Vedantic Theme: Karma binds through selfish appropriation; dharmic giving purifies and supports gṛhastha-āśrama stability.
Application: Do not take others’ produce; before eating, set aside a share for offering/charity/others (bali, atithi, needy).
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2 (lists linking specific pāpa to progeny-loss and anapatyatā)
FAQs
This verse links eating without first giving or offering a share to a karmic consequence—loss of progeny—highlighting that food should be sanctified through sharing, charity, or offering before personal consumption.
It states that stealing fruits leads to the destruction of one’s lineage, presenting progeny and continuity as outcomes protected by dharmic conduct and harmed by theft and selfish consumption.
Avoid taking what isn’t freely given (even small items like fruits), and cultivate a habit of sharing food—offer a portion to others, charity, or a sacred offering—before eating.