Shloka 10

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

पतिव्रतां साधुशीलामूढां धर्मेषु निश्चलाम् / परित्यजन्ति ये मूढास्तेषां वासस्तु सन्ततम्

Transliteration

pativratāṃ sādhuśīlāmūḍhāṃ dharmeṣu niścalām / parityajanti ye mūḍhāsteṣāṃ vāsastu santatam

Translation

Die Toren, die eine gattentreue Frau (pativratā) von guter Sitte, schlichtem Herzen und unbeirrbar im Dharma verlassen—sind dazu bestimmt, unaufhörlich im Elend zu wohnen.

Word by Word

• पतिव्रताम्: a devoted wife (faithful to her husband)
• पतिव्रताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिव्रता (प्रातिपदिक) [पति+व्रता]
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• साधु-शीलाम्: of good conduct/character
• साधु-शीलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधुशील (प्रातिपदिक) [साधु+शील]
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying पतिव्रताम्

• मूढाम्: simple/naive (foolish)
• मूढाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying पतिव्रताम्

• धर्मेषु: in matters of dharma
• धर्मेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण) बहुवचन

• निश्चलाम्: steadfast
• निश्चलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying पतिव्रताम्

• परित्यजन्ति: abandon
• परित्यजन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• मूढाः: foolish
• मूढाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; adjective qualifying ये

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन

• वासः: dwelling / abode
• वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle

• सन्ततम्: continually
• सन्ततम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सन्तत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (accusative used adverbially); नित्यं-अर्थ

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abandoning a pativrata, sadhu-shila wife devoted to dharma is adharma with enduring karmic suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as purifier of mind (chitta-shuddhi); betrayal strengthens tamas and binds one to painful karmaphala.

Application: Honor commitments; protect and respect a righteous spouse; resolve marital conflict ethically; avoid exploitation and abandonment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: household dharma and sins leading to naraka; Garuda Purana: condemnations of betrayal and cruelty toward dependents

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of marital dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats abandoning a virtuous, dharma-steady wife as a serious moral failure, implying lasting suffering as its consequence; it reinforces gṛhastha-dharma as spiritually consequential.

How does this verse connect actions to afterlife consequences in the Preta Kanda?

By stating that such men have a “continuous dwelling” in misery, the verse links betrayal/dereliction of duty to prolonged post-death suffering, a recurring Preta Kanda theme of karma yielding specific results.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Honor commitments, protect and respect a partner of good conduct, and act steadily in dharma; personal relationships are treated as ethical duties with long-term karmic impact.