Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

ततो जन्मशतं मर्त्ये सर्वजन्तुषु काश्यप / जायते नात्र सन्देहः समीभूते शुभाशुभे

Transliteration

tato janmaśataṃ martye sarvajantuṣu kāśyapa / jāyate nātra sandehaḥ samībhūte śubhāśubhe

Translation

Then, O Kāśyapa, one is born a hundred times in the mortal world among all kinds of living beings—of this there is no doubt—when the balances of merit and demerit become equalized.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Tasmāt-artha-avyaya (ablatival adverb: ‘thereafter/from that’)

• janmaśatam: a hundred births
• janmaśatam: Karma (कर्म/Object/extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka-liṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular); tatpuruṣa: janma (birth) + śata (hundred)

• martye: in the human world
• martye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• sarvajantuṣu: among all creatures
• sarvajantuṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural); tatpuruṣa: sarva (all) + jantu (creature)

• kāśyapa: O Kāśyapa
• kāśyapa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana (Singular)

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

• na: no/not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-nipāta (negation particle)

• atra: here, in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (adverb of place/subject)

• sandehaḥ: doubt
• sandehaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• samībhūte: when balanced/equalized
• samībhūte: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier; locative absolute-like)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samī + bhūta (कृदन्त/क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka-liṅga (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular); past participle of √bhū with upasarga samī (‘having become equal/balanced’)

• śubhāśubhe: in good and bad (deeds/results)
• śubhāśubhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative; with samībhūte)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha + aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka-liṅga (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular); dvandva: śubha (good) + aśubha (bad)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya; addressing 'Kāśyapa' as a traditional epithet in the transmission)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When puṇya and pāpa become equalized (samībhūta), the jīva undergoes repeated births among many beings.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as cyclical consequence of karma; equilibrium of merit/demerit still binds without liberating knowledge/bhakti.

Application: Do not rely on ‘balance’ alone; pursue purification and liberation-oriented practice (bhakti/jñāna) to end repeated births.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic realm of embodied life

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana discussions on mixed karma leading to varied births (2.46 context); Garuda Purana on species-births and karmic determinants (yoni-kathana sections)

Characters & Entities

• Kāśyapa

FAQs

What is the importance of karma balance (śubha–aśubha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that when merit and demerit are equalized, the jīva is driven into repeated rebirth in the mortal realm, indicating karma’s accounting as a key mechanism shaping post-death destiny.

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

It implies that after the post-death evaluation of actions, if neither merit nor sin predominates, the soul does not remain in a single heavenly or hellish result but cycles back into embodied existence repeatedly among various beings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady dharma—ethical conduct, charity, truthfulness, and restraint—so that merit is strengthened and harmful actions reduced, preventing a stagnant karmic “tie” that perpetuates repeated worldly births.