Shloka 9

Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

क्षत्त्रान्वयो वापि विशोन्वयो वा शूद्रान्वयो वापि हि नीचवर्णः / संग्रामदेवद्विजबालघाती स्त्रीवृद्धहा दीनतपस्विहन्ता

Transliteration

kṣattrānvayo vāpi viśonvayo vā śūdrānvayo vāpi hi nīcavarṇaḥ / saṃgrāmadevadvijabālaghātī strīvṛddhahā dīnatapasvihantā

Translation

Ob er in einer Kṣatriya-, Vaiśya- oder gar Śūdra-Linie geboren ist—wird er zum Mörder, gilt er als von niedriger Gesinnung: wer im Krieg tötet, wer Diener der Devas (oder Gottesverehrer) erschlägt, wer Brāhmaṇas und Kinder ermordet, wer Frauen und Alte tötet und wer Hilflose und Asketen niederstreckt.

Word by Word

• kṣattrānvayaḥ: of Kṣatriya lineage
• kṣattrānvayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattra (प्रातिपदिक) + anvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-निपात (also/even)

• viśaḥ-anvayaḥ: of Vaiśya lineage
• viśaḥ-anvayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viś (प्रातिपदिक) + anvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• śūdra-anvayaḥ: of Śūdra lineage
• śūdra-anvayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक) + anvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-निपात

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• nīca-varṇaḥ: of low caste/class
• nīca-varṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saṃgrāma-deva-dvija-bāla-ghātī: killer of warriors, gods(?), Brahmins, and children
• saṃgrāma-deva-dvija-bāla-ghātī: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgrāma (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ghātin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘killer of ...’

• strī-vṛddha-hā: slayer of women and the aged
• strī-vṛddha-hā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु/प्रातिपदिक हन्)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agent noun ‘slayer’

• dīna-tapasvi-hantā: killer of the poor and ascetics
• dīna-tapasvi-hantā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक) + tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक) + hantṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Conduct (ācāra) overrides birth; certain killings (of brahmins, children, women, elderly, helpless, ascetics, and the devout) mark one as ‘low’ through adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and adhikara: actions shape one’s moral-spiritual status more than lineage; tamasic/rajasic violence obscures sattva and right discernment.

Application: Adopt non-violence toward protected persons; uphold rules of righteous warfare; cultivate restraint and protection of the vulnerable and religious persons.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Dharmakanda sections on mahāpātakas and naraka results for brahma-hatyā, strī-hatyā, bāla-hatyā, vṛddha-hatyā; Garuda Purana passages on kṣātra-dharma and limits of violence

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of condemning violence in this Garuda Purana verse?

It states that status by birth does not protect one from moral downfall—grave violence (killing the vulnerable and the righteous) makes a person ‘low’ by conduct and invites karmic consequences.

How does this verse relate to Yama’s judgment in the Garuda Purana?

The verse functions as a moral classification of severe sins that are weighed in Yama’s domain, emphasizing that harmful acts—especially against protected groups like women, children, elders, and ascetics—carry heavy repercussions after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Measure character by actions, not identity; cultivate non-violence, protect the vulnerable, and avoid cruelty—these are core dharmic safeguards against destructive karma.