Shloka 75

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

कौशिको मित्रहन्ता च क्षयी पित्रादिनिन्दकः / स्खलद्वागनृतवादी कूटसाक्षी जलोदरी

Transliteration

kauśiko mitrahantā ca kṣayī pitrādinindakaḥ / skhaladvāganṛtavādī kūṭasākṣī jalodarī

Translation

鷺のごとく偽りを装う者、友を殺す者、消耗の病に蝕まれる者、祖霊ピトリ（Pitṛ）および尊ぶべき者を罵る者——言葉がつかえる者、虚言を吐く者、偽証する者、そして水腫に悩む者——これらはここに説かれる罪人の類に数えられる。

Word by Word

• कौशिकः: (becomes) an owl (kauśika)
• कौशिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; जातिवाचक-नाम

• मित्रहन्ता: friend-killer
• मित्रहन्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृन्त-कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्षयी: a consumptive (one with wasting disease)
• क्षयी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक

• पित्रादिनिन्दकः: one who reviles father and others
• पित्रादिनिन्दकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + निन्दक (प्रातिपदिक; √निन्द् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (those like father etc. as object of blame)

• स्खलद्वाक्: one with faltering speech (stammerer)
• स्खलद्वाक्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्खलत् (कृदन्त; √स्खल् धातु, शतृ) + वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण-समास (stammering speech)

• अनृतवादी: speaker of untruth
• अनृतवादी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √वद् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (speaker of falsehood)

• कूटसाक्षी: false witness
• कूटसाक्षी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक) + साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; साक्षि-शब्द

• जलोदरी: one with water-belly (dropsical)
• जलोदरी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + उदरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उदरिन्-शब्द (one having belly)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific sins (droha, pitṛ-nindā, anṛta, kūṭa-sākṣya) generate concrete karmic demerit and future suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma veils sattva and binds the jīva to saṃsāra through pāpa; speech (vāk) as a karmic instrument.

Application: Guard truthfulness in speech and testimony; avoid betrayal; maintain reverence toward pitṛs and elders; treat illness/decline as occasions for dharmic correction, not further wrongdoing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2 (karma-vipāka lists of pāpa and corresponding rebirths/afflictions)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of truthfulness in the Garuda Purana?

This verse explicitly groups the liar (anṛtavādī) and the false witness (kūṭasākṣī) among grave moral offenders, highlighting truth as a core dharmic duty with direct karmic consequences.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda’s framework, such named sins become causes for suffering in Yama’s domain; the verse functions as part of the moral inventory that determines post-death experience and retribution.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid hypocrisy, protect friendships, do not malign ancestors/elders, and never lie—especially in legal or testimonial contexts—since speech-based harm is treated as a serious karmic fault.