Shloka 49

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

श्रूयन्तेन्यान्यपि तथा नरकाणि नराधमाः / कर्मणां तारतम्येन तेषुतेषु पतन्ति हि

Transliteration

śrūyantenyānyapi tathā narakāṇi narādhamāḥ / karmaṇāṃ tāratamyena teṣuteṣu patanti hi

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ മറ്റു നരകങ്ങളെയും കുറിച്ചും ശ്രവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; മനുഷ്യരിൽ അധമർ തങ്ങളുടെ കർമ്മങ്ങളുടെ താരതമ്യപ്രകാരം അതത് നരകങ്ങളിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• श्रूयन्ते: are heard / are said
• श्रूयन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नरकाणि: hells
• नरकाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• नराधमाः: the lowest of men
• नराधमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् अधमाः)

• कर्मणाम्: of deeds
• कर्मणाम्: Genitive relation (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तारतम्येन: by gradation (relative difference)
• तारतम्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारतम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे

• तेषु: in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तेषु: in each of those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (distribution)

• पतन्ति: fall (into)
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); कारण/निश्चयार्थक

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Kanda dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala is graded; beings fall into particular hells according to the relative severity and pattern of their actions.

Vedantic Theme: Law-like causality within saṃsāra; ethical determinacy (niyati) without arbitrariness; adṛṣṭa ripening as experience.

Application: Assess actions by degree of harm and intention; adopt corrective practices (restraint, restitution, prayaschitta) proportionate to wrongdoing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: infernal regions under Yama

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated emphasis on karma-specific narakas and graded punishments; Garuda Purana: discussions of papa-bheda (types of sins) and their fruits

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic gradation (tāratamya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that outcomes after death are not random: beings fall into specific narakas in proportion to the severity and type of their deeds, showing a graded moral law of karma-phala.

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

Within the naraka narrative of Preta Kanda, it indicates that the departed are directed to different hells based on their karma, implying an ordered post-death adjudication rather than a single uniform punishment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat actions as having precise consequences: avoid harmful conduct, cultivate dharma, and practice regular self-audit of deeds—because even small differences in behavior shape different results.