Shloka 16

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

एवं तस्मान्नरैर्मोक्षस्त्वतिक्रान्तैरवाप्यते / वर्षायुतायुतैः पापं यैः कृतं दुष्टबुद्धिभिः

Transliteration

evaṃ tasmānnarairmokṣastvatikrāntairavāpyate / varṣāyutāyutaiḥ pāpaṃ yaiḥ kṛtaṃ duṣṭabuddhibhiḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് ഇത്തരത്തിലുള്ള പാപാചാരം അതിക്രമിച്ച മനുഷ്യർക്കേ മോക്ഷം ലഭിക്കൂ; ദുഷ്ടബുദ്ധിയോടെ അനവധി യുഗങ്ങളോളം പാപം ചെയ്തവർക്ക് വിമോചനം എളുപ്പമല്ല।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (thus/in this manner)

• तस्मात्: thereafter/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादाने/Ablative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (from that/thereafter)

• नरैः: by men (souls)
• नरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करणे/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• मोक्षः: liberation
• मोक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/Subject), एकवचनम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्ययम् (but/indeed)

• अतिक्रान्तैः: after (they have) passed
• अतिक्रान्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + √क्रम् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (having passed/elapsed)

• अवाप्यते: is obtained
• अवाप्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (is obtained)

• वर्षायुतायुतैः: by tens of thousands of tens of thousands of years
• वर्षायुतायुतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (संख्यावाचक-द्विगु), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—द्विगुः (वर्षाणाम् अयुत-अयुतानि = ten-thousands of ten-thousands of years)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र द्वितीया (कर्म) अधिकम् (sin as object of ‘kṛtam’)

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धे/हेतौ (by whom/with which)

• कृतम्: committed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Verbal adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (done/committed)

• दुष्टबुद्धिभिः: by evil-minded (people)
• दुष्टबुद्धिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (कृदन्त; √दुष्/दुष्ट-प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (दुष्टा बुद्धिः येषाम् = of evil-minded [persons])

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Liberation is attained by those who ‘go beyond’ (atikrānta) evil conduct; entrenched papa over vast time hardens bondage and delays release.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha requires transcendence of adharma and purification; karmic accretions obscure liberation until overcome by transformation and grace/knowledge.

Application: Break patterns of harmful behavior; adopt sustained purification—ethical vows, repentance, devotion, and self-inquiry—to reverse long-standing tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: exhortations that dharma/bhakti reduce papa and lead to higher states; Garuda Purana: contrasts between papa-heavy destinies and liberation-oriented conduct

Characters & Entities

• Humans (naras)
• Moksha (liberation)

FAQs

What is the importance of overcoming sin (pāpa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that moksha is attained only by those who ‘cross beyond’ corrupt conduct; long-accumulated pāpa rooted in wicked intent becomes a major obstacle to liberation.

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

It emphasizes karmic momentum: persistent wrongdoing over vast stretches of time binds the jīva, making release rare unless one transcends such patterns through dharma and inner transformation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce harmful actions and motives, cultivate dharmic habits, and pursue sincere purification (ethical living, repentance, and disciplined practice) so karmic burdens do not harden into long-term bondage.