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Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

जीवञ्जीवकतां याति रक्तवस्त्वपहृन्नरः / छुछुन्दरिः शुभान्गन्धाञ्छशं हृत्वा शशो भवेत्

Transliteration

jīvañjīvakatāṃ yāti raktavastvapahṛnnaraḥ / chuchundariḥ śubhāngandhāñchaśaṃ hṛtvā śaśo bhavet

Translation

A man who steals red garments is reborn as a jīvañjīvaka bird. One who steals fine fragrances is born as a chuchundarī (musk-rat) and thereafter becomes a hare.

Word by Word
जीवन्living
जीवन्:
Karta (Subject-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootजीव् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the subject)
जीवकताम्the state of being a jīvaka (a bird/insect name)
जीवकताम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootजीवकता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः कर्म (goal/state as object)
यातिgoes/attains
याति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
रक्तवस्तुa red cloth/thing
रक्तवस्तु:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootरक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय: ‘रक्तं वस्तु’ (red thing/cloth); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (as object within compound sense)
अपहृत्having stolen
अपहृत्:
Karta (Subject-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootअप-हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used adjectivally: ‘stolen/one who has stolen’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (in sandhi with नरः)
नरःa man
नरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
छुछुन्दरिःa shrew/musk-rat (chuchundarī)
छुछुन्दरिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootछुछुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
शुभान्pleasant/auspicious
शुभान्:
Karma (Object-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘गन्धान्’)
गन्धान्fragrances/scents
गन्धान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
शशम्a hare/rabbit
शशम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
हृत्वाhaving stolen
हृत्वा:
Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootहृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having stolen’
शशःa hare
शशः:
Karta/Predicative (Result state)
TypeNoun
Rootशश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (predicate nominative)
भवेत्would become
भवेत्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Appropriation of valued, identity-marking goods (colored garments, perfumes) yields corresponding yoni outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra-driven embodiment: desire and deceit crystallize into lower births.

Application: Practice contentment (santoṣa) and honesty in trade; avoid coveting status-signaling items; cultivate generosity instead of stealth acquisition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: theft-to-yoni correspondences (continuation of 1.225.28–32)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse teaches that even seemingly small thefts (like cloth or perfume) create specific karmic imprints that can lead to lower rebirths, reinforcing dharma through clear cause-and-effect.

It links particular acts (stealing red garments, stealing fragrances) to corresponding non-human births, illustrating the Purana’s principle that actions shape future embodiment and experience.

Avoid taking what is not freely given—especially personal items like clothing and valuables—and cultivate restitution and honesty, since the text frames theft as a direct cause of degrading future consequences.

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