Shloka 71

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

Devanagari script

धर्मपत्नीं त्यजञ्छब्दवेधी प्राणी भवेत्क्षितौ / देवविप्रस्वापहारी पाण्डुरः परमांसभुक्

Transliteration

dharmapatnīṃ tyajañchabdavedhī prāṇī bhavetkṣitau / devaviprasvāpahārī pāṇḍuraḥ paramāṃsabhuk

Translation

ധർമ്മപത്നിയെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നവൻ ഭൂമിയിൽ ശബ്ദവേധി ജീവിയായി ജന്മിക്കുന്നു. ദേവന്മാരുടെയോ ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെയോ സ്വത്ത് മോഷ്ടിക്കുന്നവൻ പാണ്ഡുരരോഗിയായി മാംസഭോജിയാകും.

Word by Word

• धर्मपत्नीम्: lawful wife
• धर्मपत्नीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य पत्नी)

• त्यजन्: abandoning
• त्यजन्: Kriya (Participial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while abandoning)

• शब्दवेधी: one who shoots by sound (sound-piercer)
• शब्दवेधी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + वेधिन् (कृदन्त; √व्यध् (धातु) + णिनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शब्देन वेधी)

• प्राणी: a creature/being
• प्राणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक; प्राण + इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्षितौ: on earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• देवविप्रस्वापहारी: stealer of the property of gods and Brahmins
• देवविप्रस्वापहारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहारिन् (कृदन्त; अप + √हृ (धातु) + णिनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवविप्राणां स्वस्य अपहारी)

• पाण्डुरः: pale
• पाण्डुरः: Karta-predicate (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying the subject)

• परमांसभुक्: eater of others' flesh
• परमांसभुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (कृदन्त; √भुज् (धातु) + क्विप् → भुक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परं मांसं भुङ्क्ते)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Violation of marital duty and theft from sacred custodians (deva/vipra) lead to degraded rebirth and bodily/behavioral corruption.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as the stabilizing order for household life and sacred society; adharma yields tamasic embodiment.

Application: Honor marital commitments; never appropriate temple/ritual property or Brahmin endowments; cultivate reverence for sacred trust.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2 (catalog of sins and rebirths)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Vipras (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-based punishments in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows the Purana’s moral framework: specific ethical violations (abandoning a dharma-wife, stealing sacred/Brahmin wealth) are linked to specific painful rebirth outcomes, reinforcing accountability beyond death.

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

It implies that after death the soul’s karmic residue determines its next embodiment; grave social and sacred transgressions can lead to degraded births marked by fear, predation, disease, and impurity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold marital responsibility and avoid misappropriating religious or Brahmin-associated funds; treat such duties as dharma, since the text frames them as actions with long-term spiritual and psychological consequences.