Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 42
Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties
(ब्राह्मण्यां ब्राह्मणाज्जातश्चाण्डालादधमः स्मृतः ) / यस्तु प्रव्रजिताज्जातो ब्राह्मण्यां शूद्रतश्च यः
(brāhmaṇyāṃ brāhmaṇājjātaścāṇḍālādadhamaḥ smṛtaḥ ) / yastu pravrajitājjāto brāhmaṇyāṃ śūdrataśca yaḥ
Seseorang yang lahir dari ayah Brāhmaṇa pada perempuan Brāhmaṇa dinyatakan bahkan lebih hina daripada Cāṇḍāla. Demikian pula yang lahir dari seorang pravrajita (pertapa pengembara), serta yang lahir pada perempuan Brāhmaṇa dari seorang Śūdra.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Certain births from prohibited unions (including from a renunciant or cross-varṇa relations as framed here) are declared extremely degraded within the text’s ritual-social taxonomy.
Vedantic Theme: Smṛti-level social dharma (pravṛtti) rather than Vedāntic metaphysics; emphasizes rule-bound order over ontological equality.
Application: Historically, this reflects restrictive social codes; in contemporary ethical reading, treat it as a window into past normativity rather than a mandate—prioritize dignity and non-harm while studying ritual history.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sections listing pratiloma/anuloma unions and their social consequences (thematic)
FAQs
This verse frames certain births as markers of severe dharmic transgression, aligning the Purana’s broader theme that adharma (especially sexual/ethical violations) has grave consequences for one’s status and post-death trajectory.
By classifying specific transgressive unions as producing the ‘lowest’ condition, it implies that sustained adharma shapes one’s karmic outcomes—affecting suffering, social standing, and the kind of post-mortem experience described in the Preta Kanda.
Treat it as a warning to uphold ethical conduct, sexual responsibility, and respect for vows (especially renunciation), since the text links violations of dharma with heavy karmic repercussions.