Shloka 12

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

नरकात्प्रतिमुक्तस्तु पापयोनिषु जायते / पतितात्प्रतिगृह्याथ अधोयोनिं व्रजेद्बुधः

Transliteration

narakātpratimuktastu pāpayoniṣu jāyate / patitātpratigṛhyātha adhoyoniṃ vrajedbudhaḥ

Translation

നരകത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മോചിതനായവൻ വീണ്ടും പാപയോനികളിൽ ജനിക്കുന്നു; ബുദ്ധിമാനും പതിതനിൽ നിന്ന് സ്വീകരിച്ചാൽ പിന്നീട് അധോയോനിയിൽ എത്തും।

Word by Word

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• प्रतिमुक्तः: released/freed
• प्रतिमुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; मुच् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (released)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेष/विरोधबोधक-अव्यय (particle)

• पापयोनिषु: in sinful wombs/births
• पापयोनिषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + योनि (प्रातिपदिक; पापयोनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (पापा योनि: / पापस्य योनि:)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पतितात्: from a fallen person
• पतितात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पत् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (fallen person)

• प्रतिगृह्य: having accepted (a gift)
• प्रतिगृह्य: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष (gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having accepted/taken)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (then)

• अधोयोनिम्: a lower birth/womb
• अधोयोनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधः + योनि (प्रातिपदिक; अधोयोनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अधः-स्थित-योनि)

• व्रजेत्: should go/attain
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Release from hell does not end karmic momentum; one may be reborn in sinful wombs. Accepting gifts/support from the fallen leads to lower birth.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s residual force (vasana/prarabdha) and the subtle ethical law governing association and exchange; purity of means affects destiny.

Application: Avoid unethical patronage and compromised income; choose livelihood and support aligned with dharma; practice dana with discernment and purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic-moral landscape

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: naraka descriptions and subsequent rebirth in lower yonis; warnings about pratigraha and association with adharmic persons

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding gifts from the sinful in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even a wise person can fall into a lower birth by accepting support from a patita, highlighting that dana/acceptance has karmic transfer and ethical limits.

How does this verse explain the soul’s path after suffering in Naraka?

It teaches that release from hell does not automatically mean liberation; the being may still be reborn in papa-yoni (sinful births) according to remaining karmic impressions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose livelihoods, donations, and patronage ethically—avoid benefiting from clearly harmful or corrupt sources, and keep one’s sustenance aligned with dharma.