Shloka 21

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

प्रमुक्तो नरकाद्वापि वायसः सन्प्रजायते / ज्येष्ठभ्रात्रपमानाच्च क्रौञ्चयोनौ प्रजायते

Transliteration

pramukto narakādvāpi vāyasaḥ sanprajāyate / jyeṣṭhabhrātrapamānācca krauñcayonau prajāyate

Translation

Even after being released from hell, one is born as a crow. And due to the sin of dishonouring one’s elder brother, one is born in the species of the krauñca bird (crane/heron-like).

Word by Word

• प्रमुक्तः: released/freed
• प्रमुक्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of the person implied)

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ निपात (also/even)

• वायसः: a crow
• वायसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सन्: being
• सन्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) used adverbially; पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन रूप; अर्थः ‘being’

• प्रजायते: is born
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ज्येष्ठभ्रात्रपमानात्: from insulting the elder brother
• ज्येष्ठभ्रात्रपमानात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ + भ्रातृ + अपमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jyeṣṭha-bhrātuḥ apamānaḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्रौञ्चयोनौ: in the womb/species of a krauñca bird (crane/curlew)
• क्रौञ्चयोनौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (krauñcasya yoniḥ)

• प्रजायते: is born
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic residues persist beyond naraka experience; dishonoring the elder brother (jyēṣṭha) yields specific yoni; punishment and rebirth are sequential instruments of karmic exhaustion.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra-bīja and prārabdha: even after a phase of suffering, remaining karma fructifies as embodiment; dharma in family order supports sattva.

Application: Cultivate respect toward elders, especially elder siblings; recognize that consequences can persist beyond immediate ‘punishment’—reform conduct at the root.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: otherworldly realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana naraka narratives where suffering precedes further rebirth; Adjacent yoni-phala mapping verses 1.225.18–22

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of animal-birth results in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses specific bird-births to show how karmic impressions persist even after naraka, shaping the next embodiment according to the nature of the offense.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after punishment in hell?

It indicates that release from naraka is not the end of consequences; after the punitive phase, the jīva still takes a corresponding rebirth that reflects residual karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain respect toward elders—especially an elder brother—and practice restraint in speech, since social and familial disrespect is treated as a serious dharmic fault with long-term karmic effects.