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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 15

Bhūmi-dāna, Satya-dharma, and the Non-cancellation of Sin by Charity

Devanagari script

स्वदत्तां परदत्तां वा यो हरेच्च वसुन्धराम् / षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि विष्ठायां जायते कृमिः

Transliteration

svadattāṃ paradattāṃ vā yo harecca vasundharām / ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi viṣṭhāyāṃ jāyate kṛmiḥ

Translation

Wer Land an sich reißt oder stiehlt—sei es von ihm selbst einst geschenktes oder von einem anderen verliehenes—wird für sechzigtausend Jahre als Wurm im Unrat geboren.

Word by Word
sva-dattāmone's own (land) given
sva-dattām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootsva (प्रातिपदिक) + datta (कृदन्त, √dā-दान)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण (adjectival)
para-dattāmgiven by another
para-dattām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक) + datta (कृदन्त, √dā-दान)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण
vāor
vā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')
yaḥwho (he who)
yaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम
haretshould take away/steal
haret:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√hṛ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')
vasundharāmthe earth/land
vasundharām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvasundharā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)
ṣaṣṭi-varṣa-sahasrāṇifor sixty thousand years
ṣaṣṭi-varṣa-sahasrāṇi:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootṣaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc. 2) (कालपरिमाणे), बहुवचन (pl.); कालपरिमाणवाचक (duration)
viṣṭhāyāmin excrement
viṣṭhāyām:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc. 7), एकवचन (sg.)
jāyateis born/arises
jāyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√jan (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.)
kṛmiḥa worm
kṛmiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛmi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Land-grabbing/land-theft yields severe long-duration karmic retribution: rebirth as a worm in filth for sixty thousand years.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati: actions bind the jīva to degrading births; attachment and greed (lobha) drive descent into tamasic yonis.

Application: Respect property and land grants; avoid dispossession, fraud, coercive acquisition; practice restitution and ethical stewardship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: impure place

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.42.16 (brahmasva burns lineage); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections describing papa leading to low births and narakas (general thematic link)

FAQs

This verse treats land-seizure—especially taking back donated land or usurping another’s grant—as a severe adharma, carrying heavy karmic consequences after death.

It presents a concrete karmaphala: wrongful appropriation of land leads to a degrading rebirth condition (as a worm in filth), illustrating that specific actions yield specific post-death results in the Preta Kanda’s moral framework.

Avoid encroachment, fraudulent transfers, and revoking gifts; respect lawful and ethical ownership—especially donated or pledged property—and rectify harm through restitution where possible.

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