Shloka 26
Karma-vipāka: Truth, Yama’s Judgment, and the Marks of Sin in Rebirth
यद्वा तद्वापि पारक्यं स्वल्पं वा हरते बहु / हृत्वा वै योनिमाप्नोति तिरश्चां नात्र संशयः
yadvā tadvāpi pārakyaṃ svalpaṃ vā harate bahu / hṛtvā vai yonimāpnoti tiraścāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ
Whether it be this or that—whoever steals what belongs to another, be it little or much—having stolen, he surely attains an animal birth; of this there is no doubt.
Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Any theft—small or large—inevitably results in animal birth.
Vedantic Theme: Karma as inexorable causal law; adharma thickens avidyā and binds consciousness to lower embodiments.
Application: Practice asteya in action and intention; return what is not yours; cultivate contentment and transparent dealings.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: social-ethical sphere
Related Themes: Garuda Purana rebirth lists for steya and related pāpas; Pretakalpa moral causality passages emphasizing inevitability of karma-phala
FAQs
This verse treats stealing another’s property as a serious adharma that directly shapes future birth, warning that even “small” theft has karmic weight.
It states a clear cause-and-effect: taking what is not given leads to a lower rebirth (tiraśc-yoni), reflecting the Purana’s framework of sins producing specific destinies.
Practice strict honesty with money, goods, and credit—avoid misappropriation, fraud, and taking what isn’t freely given, since ethical conduct is presented as protection against degrading karmic outcomes.