Shloka 20

An exposition of varṇa-dharma as taught by Yājñavalkya

Devanagari script

व्यभिचारादृतौशुद्धिर्गर्भेत्यागं करोति च / गर्भभर्तृवधे तासां तथा महति पातके

Transliteration

vyabhicārādṛtauśuddhirgarbhetyāgaṃ karoti ca / garbhabhartṛvadhe tāsāṃ tathā mahati pātake

Translation

Through adultery she loses her purity during the menstrual period; and when conception occurs, she may even abandon the fetus. For such women, killing the fetus and slaying the husband are counted among the gravest sins.

Word by Word

• व्यभिचारात्: from/after adultery
• व्यभिचारात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यभिचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ऋतौ: in the (proper) season/menstrual period
• ऋतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गर्भे: in pregnancy / when pregnant
• गर्भे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• त्यागम्: abandonment, giving up
• त्यागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• करोति: does, performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• गर्भभर्तृवधे: in the killing of the fetus and (one's) husband
• गर्भभर्तृवधे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (गर्भस्य/भर्तुः वधः)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/also')

• महति: great
• महति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पातके: in a sin/offence
• पातके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (addressing Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transgression corrupts śauca and generates heavy pāpa; abortion (garbha-tyāga) and spousal harm are treated as mahāpātaka-level acts.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as moral causality binding the jīva; violation of ahiṃsā and trust intensifies bondage.

Application: Uphold non-harm and responsibility in sexual ethics; in modern terms, address reproductive decisions with compassion, legality, and protection from coercion/violence, while recognizing the text’s strong deterrent framing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: household/body (ṛtu, garbha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.95.18 (sanctions for vyabhicāra); Garuda Purana 1.95.21 (sin of neglecting wife)

FAQs

What is the importance of sexual ethics (vyabhicāra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames adultery as a serious breach of dharma that damages ritual and moral purity, and it is linked with escalating grave harms such as abandoning or killing a fetus—thereby increasing karmic demerit (pātaka).

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

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it classifies certain actions as “great sins” (mahati pātaka), implying heavier karmic burden that leads to harsher post-mortem consequences in the Purāṇic framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold fidelity, responsibility, and non-harm; treat sexuality and family duties as ethical commitments, since actions that violate trust and life-bearing responsibility are portrayed as spiritually and socially destructive.