Shloka 23

Karma-vipāka: Truth, Yama’s Judgment, and the Marks of Sin in Rebirth

Devanagari script

मृतस्यैकादशाहे तु भुञ्जानश्चाभिजायते / प्रतिश्रुत्य द्विजेभ्योर्ऽथमददज्जम्बुको भवेत्

Transliteration

mṛtasyaikādaśāhe tu bhuñjānaścābhijāyate / pratiśrutya dvijebhyor'thamadadajjambuko bhavet

Translation

One who eats during the eleven-day period after a death is reborn as a devourer of carrion; and one who, having promised wealth to the Brahmins (the twice-born), does not give it, becomes a jackal.

Word by Word

• मृतस्य: of a dead (person)
• मृतस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'मृत' (dead person) as noun

• एकादश-अहे: on the eleventh day
• एकादश-अहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासार्थः (numeral compound sense)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक अव्यय

• भुञ्जानः: eating
• भुञ्जानः: कर्ता (Agent of participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुञ्जत्/भुञ्जान (कृदन्त; √भुज् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्/आत्मनेपदी), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'eating'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• अभि-जायते: is born/reborn
• अभि-जायते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रतिश्रुत्य: having promised
• प्रतिश्रुत्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रतिश्रुत्य (अव्यय; तुमुन्/ल्यप्-भावे from प्रति+√श्रु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having promised'

• द्विजेभ्यः: to the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth/money
• अर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अददत्: did not give
• अददत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; नकारार्थे (with implied negation by context)

• जम्बुकः: a jackal
• जम्बुकः: कर्तृ-समाना (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During the eleven-day aśauca period (ekādaśāha) following death

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Violation of death-impurity discipline and breach of promised dāna to brāhmaṇas produce specific adverse rebirths.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (moral causality) operating through saṃskāra and adharma; bondage through unethical action and false speech.

Application: Observe ekādaśāha restrictions after a death; avoid eating in prohibited periods; keep vows and fulfill promised gifts to qualified recipients promptly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household/cremation-impurity context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Preta-khaṇḍa themes on aśauca, śrāddha discipline, and karma-based rebirths; Adjacent verses in 2.46 listing nimitta/cihna and rebirth results

Characters & Entities

• Dwijas (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the importance of the eleven-day period after death in Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the ekādaśāha as a strict ritual window requiring restraint; violating it (by improper eating/indulgence) is said to create heavy demerit leading to a degraded rebirth.

How does this verse explain karma through specific consequences?

It links two concrete actions—improper conduct during the post-death period and reneging on promised gifts to Brahmins—to specific animal rebirths, illustrating karma as precise moral cause-and-effect.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain discipline during mourning observances and avoid making religious/charitable promises you cannot fulfill; integrity in vows and offerings is presented as essential dharma.