Shloka 11

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

विश्वासप्रतिपन्नानां स्वामिमित्रतपस्विनाम् / स्त्रीबालविकलादीनां वधं कृत्वा पतन्ति हि / पच्यन्ते तत्र मध्ये तु क्रन्दमानास्तु पापिनः

Transliteration

viśvāsapratipannānāṃ svāmimitratapasvinām / strībālavikalādīnāṃ vadhaṃ kṛtvā patanti hi / pacyante tatra madhye tu krandamānāstu pāpinaḥ

Translation

തങ്ങളിലേക്കു വിശ്വാസം വെച്ചവരായ സ്വാമി, സുഹൃത്ത്, തപസ്വി എന്നിവരെയും സ്ത്രീ, ബാലൻ, വികലൻ മുതലായവരെയും വധിക്കുന്ന പാപികൾ തീർച്ചയായും നരകത്തിൽ പതിക്കും. അവിടെ യാതനയുടെ നടുവിൽ അവർ കരഞ്ഞുകൂകി വേവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• विश्वास-प्रतिपन्नानाम्: of those who are trusting/confiding
• विश्वास-प्रतिपन्नानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वासप्रतिपन्न (प्रातिपदिक) [विश्वास+प्रतिपन्न]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन; ‘those who have taken refuge/trust’

• स्वामि-मित्र-तपस्विनाम्: of masters, friends, and ascetics
• स्वामि-मित्र-तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि (प्रातिपदिक) + मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; copulative list

• स्त्री-बाल-विकल-आदीनाम्: of women, children, the disabled, and others
• स्त्री-बाल-विकल-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + विकल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘etc.’ included by आदि

• वधम्: killing
• वधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having done’

• पतन्ति: they fall
• पतन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• पच्यन्ते: they are cooked/tormented
• पच्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb of place

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle

• क्रन्दमानाः: crying/wailing
• क्रन्दमानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रन्द् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्; present participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle

• पापिनः: sinners
• पापिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Harming the trusting and the vulnerable (guru-like figures, dependents) produces severe papa leading to naraka.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (inevitability of results); adharma as bondage-producing action.

Application: Protect dependents; never exploit trust; cultivate ahiṃsā and guardianship toward women, children, disabled, and ascetics.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: hell-realm (naraka)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: catalogues of narakas and papa-karmas (adjacent verses in 2.47); Garuda Purana: Yama’s punishments for hiṃsā, guru-droha, and strī-vadha themes recur across Pretakalpa sections

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of condemning violence against the helpless in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames such killing—especially of those under one’s protection or those who are vulnerable—as a grave adharma that leads to Naraka, emphasizing protective duty and non-violence as core ethical obligations.

How does this verse explain the consequences of betrayal and murder after death?

By naming victims who relied on the killer’s trust (master, friend, ascetic) and the defenseless (women, children, disabled), it links betrayal and cruelty to a specific post-mortem fall into Yama’s punishments where the sinner suffers intense torment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not exploit trust or power over dependents; uphold protection of the vulnerable, practice ahimsa, and treat guardianship—family, social, or professional—as a dharmic responsibility.