Shloka 42

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

(ब्राह्मण्यां ब्राह्मणाज्जातश्चाण्डालादधमः स्मृतः ) / यस्तु प्रव्रजिताज्जातो ब्राह्मण्यां शूद्रतश्च यः

Transliteration

(brāhmaṇyāṃ brāhmaṇājjātaścāṇḍālādadhamaḥ smṛtaḥ ) / yastu pravrajitājjāto brāhmaṇyāṃ śūdrataśca yaḥ

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണീ സ്ത്രീയിൽ ബ്രാഹ്മണനിൽ നിന്ന് ജനിച്ച (അത്തരം സന്താനം) ചാണ്ഡാലനിലും അധമനെന്ന് സ്മൃതി പറയുന്നു. അതുപോലെ പ്രവ്രജിതൻ (സന്ന്യാസി) മുതൽ ജനിച്ചവനും, ബ്രാഹ്മണിയിൽ ശൂദ്രനിൽ നിന്ന് ജനിച്ചവനും നിന്ദ്യരായി കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मण्याम्: in/through a brahmin woman
• ब्राह्मण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणात्: from a brahmin (man)
• ब्राह्मणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चाण्डालात्: than a caṇḍāla / from a caṇḍāla
• चाण्डालात्: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• अधमः: more base/lowest
• अधमः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is considered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is considered)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle)

• प्रव्रजितात्: from a renunciate
• प्रव्रजितात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + व्रज् (धातु) → प्रव्रजित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; क्तान्त-प्रातिपदिक (one who has renounced)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मण्याम्: in/through a brahmin woman
• ब्राह्मण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शूद्रतः: from a śūdra
• शूद्रतः: Sambandha (Source-like adverb/तसिलर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from/as a śūdra')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain births from prohibited unions (including from a renunciant or cross-varṇa relations as framed here) are declared extremely degraded within the text’s ritual-social taxonomy.

Vedantic Theme: Smṛti-level social dharma (pravṛtti) rather than Vedāntic metaphysics; emphasizes rule-bound order over ontological equality.

Application: Historically, this reflects restrictive social codes; in contemporary ethical reading, treat it as a window into past normativity rather than a mandate—prioritize dignity and non-harm while studying ritual history.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sections listing pratiloma/anuloma unions and their social consequences (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmana
• Chandala
• Pravrajita
• Shudra

FAQs

What is the importance of this topic in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames certain births as markers of severe dharmic transgression, aligning the Purana’s broader theme that adharma (especially sexual/ethical violations) has grave consequences for one’s status and post-death trajectory.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By classifying specific transgressive unions as producing the ‘lowest’ condition, it implies that sustained adharma shapes one’s karmic outcomes—affecting suffering, social standing, and the kind of post-mortem experience described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a warning to uphold ethical conduct, sexual responsibility, and respect for vows (especially renunciation), since the text links violations of dharma with heavy karmic repercussions.