Shloka 83

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

Devanagari script

प्रतिश्रुत्य द्विजेभ्योर्ऽथमददज्जम्बुको भवेत् / परिवादादिजातीनां लभते काच्छपीं तनुम्

Transliteration

pratiśrutya dvijebhyor'thamadadajjambuko bhavet / parivādādijātīnāṃ labhate kācchapīṃ tanum

Translation

ദ്വിജന്മാർക്ക് (ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു) ധനം നൽകാമെന്ന് വാഗ്ദാനം ചെയ്ത് നൽകാത്തവൻ ജംബുകം (നരി/കുറുക്കൻ) ആകുന്നു. നിന്ദ മുതലായ ദോഷങ്ങളിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുന്നവർ കച്ചപം (ആമ) ശരീരം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• pratiśrutya: having promised
• pratiśrutya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘प्रति+श्रु’ = having promised

• dvijebhyaḥ: to brahmins/twice-born
• dvijebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी (5th Ablative / 4th Dative), बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) ‘to the twice-born’ अधिकयुक्ता

• artham: wealth/money
• artham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• adadat: did not give
• adadat: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; नकारार्थे—‘न अददत्’ (did not give)

• jambukaḥ: jackal
• jambukaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jambuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• parivāda-ādi-jātīnām: of those (born as) slanderers and the like
• parivāda-ādi-jātīnām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parivāda (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + jāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘परिवादादयः जातयः’—of the castes/conditions beginning with slanderers (ādi = etc.)

• labhate: obtains
• labhate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• kācchapīm: tortoise-like (as a tortoise)
• kācchapīm: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kācchapī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—तनुम्

• tanum: body
• tanum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Breaking a pledged donation to brāhmaṇas yields jackal birth; slander yields tortoise embodiment—speech and promise bind karmically.

Vedantic Theme: Vāk-karma: intention and speech create saṃskāras; adharma densifies consciousness (symbolized by low/scavenging or slow/encased forms).

Application: Do not make performative promises; fulfill commitments; avoid gossip/slander; practice truthful, beneficial speech.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2 (promise-breaking and pāruṣya/parivāda consequences)

Characters & Entities

• Dvijas (twice-born/Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the importance of keeping a promised donation (dāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that promising wealth to dvijas and withholding it is a serious breach of dharma that results in a degraded rebirth (here, as a jackal), emphasizing integrity in vows and charity.

How does this verse explain karmic consequences after death?

It links specific unethical actions—reneging on promised gifts and engaging in slander—to concrete outcomes in future embodiment, illustrating the Garuda Purana theme that post-death destiny and rebirth follow moral causality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid making commitments you will not fulfill (especially charitable pledges), and practice restraint in speech by avoiding slander—both are presented here as actions with long-term karmic repercussions.