Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

एवं दुष्कृतकर्मा हि भुक्त्वा च नरकान्क्रमात् / जायते कर्मशेषेण उक्तास्वेतासु योनिषु

Transliteration

evaṃ duṣkṛtakarmā hi bhuktvā ca narakānkramāt / jāyate karmaśeṣeṇa uktāsvetāsu yoniṣu

Translation

Thus, the doer of sinful deeds—having undergone the hells one after another—takes birth again, driven by the remaining residue of karma, in these very wombs (forms of birth) that have been described.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Prakāra-avyaya (adverb of manner)

• duṣkṛtakarmā: one of evil deeds
• duṣkṛtakarmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣkṛta + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); bahuvrīhi: ‘one whose deeds are evil’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Hetu/Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (particle: ‘indeed/for’)

• bhuktvā: having undergone
• bhuktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having experienced/undergone’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• narakān: hells
• narakān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• kramāt: in sequence, successively
• kramāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Hetu (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial-ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana (Singular); used adverbially (‘in due order/successively’)

• jāyate: is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Ātmanepada

• karmaśeṣeṇa: by the remainder of karma
• karmaśeṣeṇa: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु/Instrument-Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma + śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana (Singular); tatpuruṣa: karma-śeṣa (remainder of karma)

• uktāsu: in the said/mentioned
• uktāsu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukta (कृदन्त/क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural); past passive participle of √vac (‘said’), agreeing with yoniṣu

• etāsu: in these
• etāsu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• yoniṣu: in wombs/births (species)
• yoniṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala is experienced in hells; remaining karma (karma-śeṣa) compels further rebirth in specified yonis.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra driven by avidyā and karma; prārabdha/sañcita-like residue logic (Purāṇic framing).

Application: Cultivate restraint and expiation; adopt sattvic conduct and devotion to reduce pāpa and its afterlife consequences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic realms and wombs

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: naraka descriptions and rebirth sequences (adjacent adhyāyas on yātanā and yoni-janma); Garuda Purana on karma-śeṣa and yoni classifications (nearby verses in 2.46)

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-śeṣa (residual karma) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even after suffering in Naraka, the remaining unexhausted karma (karma-śeṣa) propels the jīva to take another birth in the described yoni (form of embodiment).

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

It presents a sequence: sinful action leads to experiencing hell realms in order, and then—once that portion is endured—the being returns to embodied existence according to whatever karmic residue still remains.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with restraint and dharma: harmful actions do not end with death, and even after consequences are faced, lingering tendencies and karmic residues shape future circumstances—so ethical conduct reduces future suffering.