Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

तृणगुल्मलतावल्लीत्वग्घारी तरुतां व्रजेत् / एष एव क्रमो दृष्टो गोसुवर्णादिहारिणाम्

Transliteration

tṛṇagulmalatāvallītvagghārī tarutāṃ vrajet / eṣa eva kramo dṛṣṭo gosuvarṇādihāriṇām

Translation

One who steals grass, shrubs, creepers, vines, or bark is reborn among trees. This very sequence of consequences is observed also in the case of those who steal cows, gold, and the like.

Word by Word

• तृणगुल्मलतावल्लीत्वक्: grass, shrubs, creepers, vines, bark (collectively)
• तृणगुल्मलतावल्लीत्वक्: Karma/Upapada (Object domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक) + गुल्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्ली (प्रातिपदिक) + त्वक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative): ‘तृण-गुल्म-लता-वल्ली-त्वक्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (as first member in compound phrase)

• हारी: a stealer
• हारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘हारी’ = ‘stealer’ (agent noun)

• तरुताम्: the state of being a tree
• तरुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः कर्म (state attained)

• व्रजेत्: would go/attain
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• क्रमः: sequence/order
• क्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दृष्टः: is observed/seen
• दृष्टः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been seen/observed’

• गो: cow
• गो: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) गो = ‘cow’; used in compound

• सुवर्ण: gold
• सुवर्ण: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) ‘gold’; used in compound

• आदि: and the like
• आदि: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) ‘etc.’; used in compound

• हारिणाम्: of stealers
• हारिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of stealers’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Theft of plant materials leads to plant/arboreal rebirth; the same karmic sequencing applies to high-value thefts (cows, gold).

Vedantic Theme: Niṣkāma-dharma vs. appropriation: attachment and taking what is not given binds the jīva to corresponding forms within prakṛti.

Application: Respect ecological and communal resources; avoid illegal extraction (timber/bark/forest produce); treat cows and wealth as entrusted, not to be seized.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: broader theft categories including cows and gold (elsewhere in the same adhyāya/section)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Trees (as rebirth state)

FAQs

What is the importance of theft (steya) consequences in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames theft as a karmic cause of degraded rebirth, showing that even taking plant resources unlawfully can lead to embodiment as a tree, and it extends the same moral logic to major thefts like cows and gold.

How does this verse explain karmic retribution in the afterlife narrative?

It presents a clear cause-and-effect sequence: specific acts of stealing correspond to specific post-death outcomes, emphasizing an ordered karmic law rather than random punishment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid taking what is not given—even natural resources—and practice restitution and ethical livelihood, treating property (including animals and community resources) as protected under dharma.