Shloka 11

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

किं चाश्रुत्वातः पश्चाच्चतुर्जन्मसु भूतले / एकदेहान्मानुषत्वं भविष्यति न संशयः

Transliteration

kiṃ cāśrutvātaḥ paścāccaturjanmasu bhūtale / ekadehānmānuṣatvaṃ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

De plus, après avoir entendu cela, au cours des quatre naissances suivantes sur la terre, on atteindra certainement l’état humain en une seule vie incarnée ; il n’y a nul doute.

Word by Word

• किम्: and what/moreover
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्न/अनुयोगार्थक निपात (interrogative particle: and what?/moreover)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अश्रुत्वा: not having heard
• अश्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘not having heard’ (अ-निषेध)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अस्मात् कारणार्थक (therefore/from this)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (afterwards)

• चतुः-जन्मसु: in four births
• चतुः-जन्मसु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (चत्वारि जन्मानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• एक-देहात्: from one body
• एक-देहात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (एकः देहः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• मानुषत्वम्: human-ness/human birth
• मानुषत्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुषत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being human)

• भविष्यति: will be/occur
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic pronouncements shape successive births; human embodiment is a definite, consequential attainment within saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra and karma-vipāka; human birth as durlabha opportunity (sādhana-yogya deha).

Application: Treat human life as a rare chance: prioritize ethical living, devotion, and self-knowledge rather than repeating harmful patterns.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: world/plane

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17.10 (curse as cause); Garuda Purana 3.17.12-13 (specific relational fruits across births)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing (śravaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that simply hearing the teaching carries a definite fruit: it supports the soul’s return to a human state, emphasizing śravaṇa as a powerful purifier and merit-producing act.

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

It links post-death destiny with spiritual exposure: the act of hearing sacred instruction influences subsequent rebirths, culminating in assured human birth within a limited number of lifetimes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly listen to or study sacred texts with sincerity, and pair it with ethical living—treating spiritual learning as a discipline that shapes character and future outcomes.