Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

कुनखी स्वर्णहरणाद्दुश्चर्मा गुरुतल्पगः / संयोगी हीनयोनिः स्याद्दरिद्रो ऽदत्तदानतः

Transliteration

kunakhī svarṇaharaṇādduścarmā gurutalpagaḥ / saṃyogī hīnayoniḥ syāddaridro 'dattadānataḥ

Translation

黄金を盗む者は爪の病を得、師（グル）の寝床を犯す者（gurutaḷpaの罪）は悪しき皮膚病に悩まされる。禁じられた交合に耽る者は卑しい胎に生まれ、布施（ダーナ）を施さぬ者は貧しくなる。

Word by Word

• ku-nakhī: having deformed nails
• ku-nakhī: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ku (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + nakhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘bad’ + ‘nailed’)

• svarṇa-haraṇāt: from stealing gold
• svarṇa-haraṇāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + haraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘gold’ + ‘stealing’), ablative of cause

• duś-carmā: having diseased/bad skin
• duś-carmā: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dus (उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययार्थ) + carman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘bad’ + ‘skin’)

• guru-talpagaḥ: one who violates the teacher’s bed
• guru-talpagaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + talpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (‘teacher’s bed’ + ‘goer’ = one who violates guru’s bed)

• saṃyogī: one afflicted with (chronic) disease/association (saṃyoga)
• saṃyogī: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• hīna-yoniḥ: one of low birth
• hīna-yoniḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hīna (प्रातिपदिक) + yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (‘having a low birth/womb’)

• syāt: would become
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• daridraḥ: poor
• daridraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daridra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• adatta-dānataḥ: from not giving charity
• adatta-dānataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-datta (PPP from dā (धातु)) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘not given’ + ‘gift/charity’), ablative of cause

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific adharma produces specific karmaphala manifesting as disease, low birth, and poverty.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandhana and the moral causality governing embodiment (deha) and circumstance (bhoga).

Application: Avoid theft, sexual transgression, and withholding charity; cultivate dana and restraint to prevent harmful karmic imprints.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.46 (karma-phala catalog of sins and rebirth outcomes); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes: Yama’s adjudication and embodied consequences

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of sins-and-results teaching in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links specific unethical acts (theft, sexual transgression, refusal of charity) to concrete karmic outcomes, reinforcing dharma through cause-and-effect across births.

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

It emphasizes that post-death destiny is shaped by moral conduct: certain actions mature as suffering (disease, degradation) and determine the quality of one’s next embodiment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid exploitation and sexual misconduct, respect teachers and boundaries, and practice regular charity—these are presented as direct supports for ethical life and auspicious future outcomes.