Shloka 3

Karma-vipāka: Rebirths and Bodily Marks Resulting from Specific Sins

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्याक्रमात्स्युश्च तत्सर्वं वा शिशेर्भवेत् / अन्नहर्ता मयावी स्यान्मूको वागपहारकः

Transliteration

brahmahatyākramātsyuśca tatsarvaṃ vā śiśerbhavet / annahartā mayāvī syānmūko vāgapahārakaḥ

Translation

Melalui rangkaian dosa (bermula dengan pembunuhan brāhmaṇa), seseorang boleh lahir sebagai kanak-kanak untuk menanggung akibatnya; atau segala akibat itu boleh menimpa kanak-kanak tersebut. Pencuri makanan menjadi penipu; perampas kata-kata orang lain menjadi bisu.

Word by Word

• brahma-hatyā-kramāt: from the course of brahmin-murder (sin)
• brahma-hatyā-kramāt: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + hatyā (प्रातिपदिक) + krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘क्रमात्’ = ‘in due course/from the sequence’

• syuḥ: would become
• syuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु; √as)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarvam: all (of that)
• sarvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• śiśoḥ: of a child
• śiśoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु; √bhū)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• anna-hartā: food-stealer
• anna-hartā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (कृदन्त; √hṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• mayāvī: deceitful; magical
• mayāvī: Pratipādya (Predicate-adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vin (तद्धित/प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘possessing illusion’

• syāt: would become
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु; √as)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mūkaḥ: mute
• mūkaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• vāk-apahārakaḥ: one who steals speech (slanderer)
• vāk-apahārakaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक) + apahāraka (प्रातिपदिक; from apa-√hṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A chain of grave sins can culminate in birth as a child bearing multiple afflictions; food-theft yields deceitfulness; stealing another’s speech/voice yields muteness.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as subtle causal network shaping prārabdha; ethical misuse of vāṇī and anna binds the jīva to limitation.

Application: Protect food security and honesty; do not silence or appropriate others’ voice; cultivate satya and fair speech, and practice charity of food (anna-dāna).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: human society and rebirth condition

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on anna-dāna and speech ethics in dharma sections; Garuda Purana: lists of bodily/mental defects as karma-phala

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-based consequences in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that specific unethical acts (like stealing food or depriving someone of speech) yield corresponding results in future embodiment, reinforcing personal responsibility and dharmic restraint.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than focusing on post-death geography here, it stresses karmic causality shaping rebirth conditions—showing how the jīva’s next embodiment can reflect prior actions through matching outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice honesty and non-harm in livelihood and speech: do not take what sustains others (food/resources) and do not silence, misrepresent, or appropriate another’s voice—these are presented as serious ethical violations with lasting consequences.