Shloka 46

Entry into Yama’s Abode; Nature, Causes, and Signs of the Preta-State

Devanagari script

तृतीये पञ्चमे पुंसि वंशच्छेदो हि जायते / दरिद्रो निर्धनश्चैव पापकर्मा भवेभवे

Transliteration

tṛtīye pañcame puṃsi vaṃśacchedo hi jāyate / daridro nirdhanaścaiva pāpakarmā bhavebhave

Translation

പുരുഷന്റെ മൂന്നാംതലമുറയിലും അഞ്ചാംതലമുറയിലും വംശഛേദം സംഭവിക്കുന്നു. അവൻ ദരിദ്രനും നിർധനനും ആയി, ജന്മജന്മാന്തരങ്ങളിൽ പാപകർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നവനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तृतीये: in the third (generation/person)
• तृतीये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (ordinal)

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth (generation/person)
• पञ्चमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; सप्तमी, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण

• पुंसि: in the male/person
• पुंसि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• वंशच्छेदः: break in the lineage
• वंशच्छेदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (cutting/break of lineage)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दरिद्रः: poor
• दरिद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• निर्धनः: without wealth
• निर्धनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic/only)

• पापकर्मा: sinful-doer
• पापकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (one whose deeds are sinful)

• भवे: in (a) birth/existence
• भवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• भवे: in (each) birth
• भवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for distributive sense)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic and ritual neglect can manifest as vaṃśa-ccheda (lineage break), poverty, and recurring sinful tendencies across births.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as repetitive consequence of papa; bondage perpetuated by ignorance and adharma.

Application: Strengthen dharma: fulfill śrāddha/antyeṣṭi, cultivate ethical livelihood, charity, and self-discipline to prevent intergenerational decline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: genealogical/lineage continuum

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lineage effects of neglected rites and preta-doṣa (thematic continuity with 2.20.44–45)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of lineage (vaṃśa) consequences in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that harmful karma can manifest not only personally but also as disruption to one’s family line, emphasizing ethical conduct to protect both self and descendants.

How does this verse explain the soul’s journey through repeated births?

By using “bhave bhave,” it indicates recurring embodiment where unresolved sinful tendencies continue to ripen as suffering—such as destitution and degraded conduct—across multiple lives.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharmic restraint—avoid exploitative or harmful actions—since character and consequences can persist over time; cultivate charity, honesty, and self-discipline to counter patterns that lead to misery.