Shloka 73
Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline
वसेत्स नरके घोर दिनानि पशुरोमतः / संमितानि दुराचारो यो हन्त्यविधिना पशून् / मांसं सन्त्यज्य संप्रार्थ्य कामान्याति ततो हरिम्
vasetsa narake ghora dināni paśuromataḥ / saṃmitāni durācāro yo hantyavidhinā paśūn / māṃsaṃ santyajya saṃprārthya kāmānyāti tato harim
That wicked person who kills animals in an unlawful manner dwells in a dreadful hell for a number of days measured by the hairs on the animal’s body. Thereafter, renouncing meat and earnestly praying, he attains his desired aims and then reaches Hari (Lord Viṣṇu).
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Adharmic violence (killing animals unlawfully) yields proportionate suffering; sincere reform—abandoning meat and praying—can redirect destiny toward desired aims and ultimately Hari.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala is precise yet not fatalistic: prāyaścitta, vairāgya, and bhakti can transform the trajectory toward Viṣṇu.
Application: Avoid cruelty and unlawful slaughter; if complicit, adopt non-violence, renounce harmful habits, and take up prayerful devotion as a sustained corrective.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: otherworldly region
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa naraka descriptions (various chapters); Garuda Purana 1.96.71-72 (prāyaścitta framework)
FAQs
This verse treats illicit animal-killing (avidhinā paśūn hanti) as a grave sin that leads to a severe hellish consequence, emphasizing accountability for hiṃsā and improper conduct.
It presents a two-step arc: karmic retribution (dwelling in a dreadful naraka for a quantified duration) followed by the possibility of reform—renouncing meat and sincere prayer—leading ultimately toward Hari.
Avoid cruelty and unlawful harm; adopt restraint (especially giving up meat tied to violence), and cultivate sincere repentance and devotion as corrective practices.