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Shloka 7

Karma-vipāka: Rebirths and Bodily Marks Resulting from Specific Sins

Devanagari script

मांसं गृध्रः पटं श्वित्री चीरी लवणहारकः / यथाकर्म फलं प्राप्य तिर्यक्त्वं कालपर्ययात्

Transliteration

māṃsaṃ gṛdhraḥ paṭaṃ śvitrī cīrī lavaṇahārakaḥ / yathākarma phalaṃ prāpya tiryaktvaṃ kālaparyayāt

Translation

Qui vole la chair renaît en vautour ; qui vole l’étoffe renaît lépreux. Qui dérobe des vêtements renaît vêtu de haillons ; qui vole le sel demeure voleur de sel. Recevant le fruit de ses propres actes, au fil du temps, chacun obtient une naissance non humaine selon son karma.

Word by Word
मांसम्meat
मांसम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमांस (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
गृध्रःa vulture
गृध्रः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन
पटम्cloth/garment
पटम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
श्वित्रीa female with white patches; (as a being/creature)
श्वित्री:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्वित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन
चीरीa rag-wearer/one with torn cloth (as read)
चीरी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचीरी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; (दुर्लभ-शब्दः)
लवणहारकःsalt-stealer
लवणहारकः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootलवण (प्रातिपदिक) + हारक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘लवणस्य हारकः’ = salt-stealer)
यथाकर्मaccording to (their) karma
यथाकर्म:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय; ‘कर्मानुसारम्’ (according to one’s deeds)
फलम्result/fruit
फलम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootफल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
प्राप्यhaving obtained
प्राप्य:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु)
Formल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having obtained’
तिर्यक्त्वम्animal state/being an animal
तिर्यक्त्वम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतिर्यक्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
कालपर्ययात्from/through the passage of time
कालपर्ययात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘कालस्य पर्ययः’), ‘-आत्’ = ‘from/through’
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yathākarma: actions ripen over time into corresponding births/conditions (animal birth, disease, poverty markers).

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra driven by karma and vāsanā; kāla (time) as the ripener of karma-phala.

Application: Adopt ethical livelihood (avoid theft and exploitation), purify conduct through confession, restitution, and disciplined restraint; cultivate compassion to counter predatory tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.104 (continuation of theft-to-yoni mapping)

FAQs

This verse frames punishment as karmic fruition: specific unethical acts mature into corresponding forms of suffering, including lower births (tiryaktva), reinforcing moral restraint.

It indicates that after death, the jīva’s accumulated actions can ripen into non-human embodiments over time, showing rebirth as a consequence-driven continuation of the soul’s journey.

Avoid harm and theft—especially exploiting essentials like food and clothing—and cultivate honest livelihood, compassion, and respect for others’ property to prevent harmful karmic outcomes.

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