Shloka 33

Karma-vipāka: Truth, Yama’s Judgment, and the Marks of Sin in Rebirth

Devanagari script

स्वकर्म बद्धस्य तदा गर्भवृद्धिर्भवेदिति / पुरा यथा मया प्रोक्तं तव जन्तोर्हि लक्षणम्

Transliteration

svakarma baddhasya tadā garbhavṛddhirbhavediti / purā yathā mayā proktaṃ tava jantorhi lakṣaṇam

Translation

Durch das eigene Karma gebunden, wächst der Embryo dann entsprechend heran—wie ich es dir zuvor sagte, o Garuḍa: dies sind wahrlich die Kennzeichen der verkörperten jīva.

Word by Word

• स्व: one’s own
• स्व: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्/सर्वनामविशेषण, समासपूर्वपद; ‘कर्म’ इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थे (one’s own)

• कर्म: by one’s own action (karma)
• कर्म: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘स्वकर्म’ कर्मधारयः (own + action)

• बद्धस्य: of the bound (one)
• बद्धस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) → बद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘जन्तोः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (of the bound being)

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• गर्भ: womb/embryo
• गर्भ: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• वृद्धिः: growth (of the embryo)
• वृद्धिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘गर्भवृद्धिः’ षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (growth of the embryo)

• भवेत्: would occur/should be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरण (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरण/समाप्ति (quotative particle)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (formerly)

• यथा: as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमान/प्रकार (as/just as)

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent in passive/instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘लक्षणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (that which was said)

• तव: to you/of you
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• जन्तोः: of the creature/being
• जन्तोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/mark
• लक्षणम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embryonic development and embodied characteristics unfold according to one’s own karma (svakarma-bandha).

Vedantic Theme: Karma as upādhi shaping the jīva’s embodied condition; saṃsāra driven by causal residues (saṃskāra).

Application: Cultivate ethical intention and disciplined action now, recognizing long-range karmic consequences that shape future embodiment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/karma sections): recurring doctrine that jīva’s embodiment is karma-formed; Garuda Purana: descriptions of subtle body and rebirth causality in adjacent adhyāyas

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Jīva
• Karma
• Garbha (womb/embryo)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma in Garuda Purana’s description of rebirth?

This verse states that the jīva is “bound by its own karma,” and that karmic bondage governs even the embryo’s development—showing karma as the operative law behind rebirth and embodiment.

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

By highlighting that the jīva remains bound to its own actions, the verse connects the post-death journey with a return to embodiment: karmic residues lead the soul toward another womb and shape its next life’s conditions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with ethical restraint and dharmic conduct, understanding that actions have long consequences—shaping not only future experiences but the very circumstances of future birth.