Shloka 3

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन प्राणिनां वधबन्धनम् / विप्रादीनन्त्यजान्सर्वान्पापं मारयति ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

pūrvakarmavipākena prāṇināṃ vadhabandhanam / viprādīnantyajānsarvānpāpaṃ mārayati dhruvam

Translation

Durch das Reifen früherer Taten (Karma) begegnen die Lebewesen Tötung und Fesselung. Sünde vernichtet gewiss alle — von den Brāhmaṇas und den übrigen bis hin zu den Niedrigstgeborenen.

Word by Word

• पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन: by the ripening of former karma
• पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-कर्म-विपाक (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्व + कर्म + विपाक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• वधबन्धनम्: killing and bondage
• वधबन्धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध-बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक; वध + बन्धन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (वधश्च बन्धनं च)

• विप्रादीन्: Brahmins and others
• विप्रादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; विप्र + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म (आदि-समास: 'starting with Brahmins')

• अन्त्यजान्: outcastes/low-born
• अन्त्यजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (विप्रादीन् अन्त्यजान्)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• मारयति: kills/destroys
• मारयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: certainly)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-vipāka governs experiences of harm and captivity; papa has a leveling force affecting all beings regardless of status.

Vedantic Theme: Samsara driven by beginningless karma; social identity does not override moral causality; impetus toward purification and liberation-seeking.

Application: Avoid harmful actions; practice restraint and compassion; engage in prāyaścitta and sattvic disciplines to reduce papa and its ripening.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: karma-vipaka explanations in Pretakalpa and Dharma-kanda sections; Garuda Purana: teachings on papa’s consequences and the need for prāyaścitta

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Karma
• Papa (sin)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-vipāka (ripening of karma) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that suffering like bondage and death arises from the maturation of past deeds, making karma-vipāka the key mechanism behind post-death consequences described in the text.

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

It frames the after-death journey as shaped by prior actions: sinful conduct leads to destructive outcomes (pāpaṃ mārayati) and conditions like restraint and punishment that are later detailed in Yama’s domain narratives.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act with restraint and integrity—avoid harmful actions that create pāpa—because karmic consequences are impartial and can manifest as suffering regardless of status or background.