Shloka 5

Karma, Subtle-Body Formation, and the Route of Departure (Ūrdhva-mārga)

Devanagari script

अरण्ये निर्जने देशे जायते ब्रह्मराक्षसः / हीनजातौ प्रजायेत रत्नानामपहारकः

Transliteration

araṇye nirjane deśe jāyate brahmarākṣasaḥ / hīnajātau prajāyeta ratnānāmapahārakaḥ

Translation

In a forest—an isolated, desolate place—one is born as a brahma-rākṣasa. But the thief who steals jewels is born into a low and degraded birth.

Word by Word

• अरण्ये: in a forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• निर्जने: in a deserted (place)
• निर्जने: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying देशे/अरण्ये)

• देशे: in a place/region
• देशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ब्रह्मराक्षसः: a Brahma-rākṣasa (demonic being)
• ब्रह्मराक्षसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः राक्षसः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• हीनजातौ: in a low birth/caste
• हीनजातौ: Adhikarana (State/condition locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हीन + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः—हीना जातिः (विशेषण-विशेष्य)

• प्रजायेत: would be born
• प्रजायेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्गः—प्र

• रत्नानाम्: of jewels
• रत्नानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अपहारकः: a thief/robber
• अपहारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप + हृ (धातु) + ण्वुल् (प्रत्यय) → अपहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-नाम (agent noun)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific sins yield specific rebirths: brahmasva-related offenses can lead to brahma-rākṣasa birth; jewel-theft leads to degraded/low birth.

Vedantic Theme: Karmic determinism shaping jāti and yoni; saṃsāra as moral causality.

Application: Refrain from theft (especially sacred/valuable items); cultivate contentment (santoṣa) and non-covetousness (asteya).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: yoni-bheda (species/birth) results for thieves and sacrilegious acts; Garuda Purana: brahma-rākṣasa descriptions in preta-related passages

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-rakshasa

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic rebirth classifications in the Garuda Purana?

This verse illustrates karma-vipāka: specific unethical actions (like theft) are linked to specific forms of rebirth, emphasizing moral accountability beyond a single lifetime.

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

It presents the post-death moral trajectory as leading to particular embodiments: severe spiritual downfall can result in a brahma-rākṣasa state, while stealing valuables leads to a degraded human birth—showing consequences that shape the next existence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid taking what is not given—especially valuables—and protect integrity in livelihood; the text frames such restraint as dharma that safeguards one’s future well-being and spiritual standing.