Shloka 30

Devanagari script

षण्डाः कलापहरणे काष्ठहृत्तृणकीटकः / पुष्पं हृत्वा दरिद्रस्तु पङ्गुर्याचकहृन्नरः

Transliteration

ṣaṇḍāḥ kalāpaharaṇe kāṣṭhahṛttṛṇakīṭakaḥ / puṣpaṃ hṛtvā daridrastu paṅguryācakahṛnnaraḥ

Translation

One who steals a bundle of goods is reborn as a eunuch; one who steals wood is reborn as a grass-insect. One who steals flowers becomes poor; and the man who steals from a beggar becomes lame.

Word by Word

• षण्डाः: eunuchs/impotent men (ṣaṇḍa-s)
• षण्डाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कलापहरणे: in the stealing of a bundle/collection
• कलापहरणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कलापस्य हरणे’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• काष्ठहृत्: wood-stealer
• काष्ठहृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत् (कृदन्त from हृ)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘काष्ठस्य हृत्/हर्ता’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (as part of apposition)

• तृणकीटकः: a grass-insect
• तृणकीटकः: Karta/Predicative (Result state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक) + कीटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तृणस्य कीटकः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुष्पम्: a flower
• पुष्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हृत्वा: having stolen
• हृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• दरिद्रः: poor
• दरिद्रः: Karta/Predicative (Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषबोधक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• पङ्गुः: lame
• पङ्गुः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the subject)

• याचकहृत्: one who steals from a beggar
• याचकहृत्: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याचक (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत् (कृदन्त from हृ)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘याचकस्य हृत्/हर्ता’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adharma against property and especially against the helpless rebounds as loss of agency, status, and bodily wholeness.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as moral symmetry: harming others’ sustenance and dignity yields corresponding limitation in one’s own embodiment and fortune.

Application: Protect the vulnerable; never exploit beggars/poor; practice dana (charity) and fair dealing; cultivate empathy to counter greed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: graded theft consequences; special severity for harming the helpless (contextual continuation)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of theft-related karma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that even seemingly minor thefts (wood, flowers, small bundles) carry specific karmic results, and stealing from the needy is treated as especially harmful.

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

By mapping particular sins to particular adverse rebirth conditions (poverty, lameness, loss of sexual power), it shows how karma shapes the jiva’s post-death outcomes and future embodiment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid taking what is not given—especially from vulnerable people—and practice honest livelihood and restitution, since harm done through theft is said to return as personal limitation and deprivation.