Shloka 6

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

अवीचिं कुम्भीपाकं च यान्ति पापा ह्यपुण्यतः / ब्रह्महा मद्यपः स्तेयी संयोगी गुरुतल्पगः

Transliteration

avīciṃ kumbhīpākaṃ ca yānti pāpā hyapuṇyataḥ / brahmahā madyapaḥ steyī saṃyogī gurutalpagaḥ

Translation

പുണ്യമില്ലായ്മ മൂലം പാപികൾ അവീചിയും കുംഭീപാകവും എന്ന നരകങ്ങളിലേക്കു പോകുന്നു—ബ്രാഹ്മണഹന്താവ്, മദ്യപൻ, കള്ളൻ, പരസ്ത്രീഗാമി, ഗുരുതൽപഗൻ മുതലായവർ.

Word by Word

• अवीचिम्: Avīci (a hell)
• अवीचिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (hell-name)

• कुम्भीपाकम्: Kumbhīpāka (a hell)
• कुम्भीपाकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भी (प्रातिपदिक) + पाक (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (hell-name); तत्पुरुष (कुम्भ्यां पाकः/कुम्भीपाकः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पापाः: sinners
• पापाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Hetu (Reason marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• अपुण्यतः: due to lack of merit; from sinfulness
• अपुण्यतः: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; तसिल्-अर्थे (from/owing to)

• ब्रह्महा: slayer of a Brahmin
• ब्रह्महा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) + क्विप् (कृत्); समासः
• Form: क्विप्-कृदन्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हन्ता)

• मद्यपः: drinker of liquor
• मद्यपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पा (धातु) + क (प्रातिपदिक/कृत्); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मद्यं पिबति)

• स्तेयी: thief
• स्तेयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक) / स्तेन् (धातु) + इन् (तद्धित/कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक नाम (thief)

• संयोगी: one who associates/consorts (with the above sins)
• संयोगी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) + णिनि/इन् (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुरुतल्पगः: one who violates the teacher’s bed (sexual offender)
• गुरुतल्पगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + तल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक from √गम्); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Grave transgressions (mahāpātakas) lead to severe naraka results; ‘apunya’ (absence of merit) and active pāpa determine descent.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as inexorable moral law; adharma intensifies bondage and suffering; impetus toward śuddhi, restraint, and ultimately liberation-oriented living.

Application: Avoid the five great sins; cultivate safeguards: non-violence, sobriety, honesty, sexual ethics, reverence for teacher/lineage; seek immediate correction and guidance if violated.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: naraka (hell realms)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.105.2-3 (prāyaścitta as remedy; neglect leads to consequences); Garuda Purana 1.105.4-5 (other narakas)

Characters & Entities

• Avici
• Kumbhipaka
• Brahmaha
• Gurutalpaga

FAQs

What is the importance of Avīci and Kumbhīpāka in the Garuda Purana?

They are named narakas (hell-realms) used to illustrate that severe, merit-destroying transgressions lead to specific post-death punishments governed by karmic law.

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

It links particular grave sins (mahāpātaka-type acts) to definite destinations (Avīci, Kumbhīpāka), showing that the jīva’s post-mortem experience is shaped by accumulated demerit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid the core ethical violations highlighted here—harm to the holy/learned, intoxication that leads to adharma, theft, and sexual misconduct—since the text frames them as spiritually destructive and karmically heavy.