Shloka 8

Madātyaya Nidāna and Lakṣaṇa: Liquor’s Qualities, Tridoṣa Presentations, and Fainting Signs

Devanagari script

मरणादपि पापात्मा गतः पापतरां दशाम् / धर्माधर्मं सुखं दुः खं मानानर्थं हिताहितम्

Transliteration

maraṇādapi pāpātmā gataḥ pāpatarāṃ daśām / dharmādharmaṃ sukhaṃ duḥ khaṃ mānānarthaṃ hitāhitam

Translation

Bahkan sesudah mati, orang yang berhati berdosa jatuh ke keadaan yang lebih berat dosanya, lalu berhadapan dengan akibat dharma dan adharma, suka dan duka, kehormatan dan kehinaan, manfaat dan mudarat, yang baik dan yang tidak baik.

Word by Word

• मरणात्: from death
• मरणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अर्थः ‘even/also’

• पापात्मा: the sinful-souled person
• पापात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापस्य आत्मा)

• गतः: has gone/has reached
• गतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/विधेय (predicate participle)

• पापतराम्: more sinful/worse
• पापतराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + तर (तद्धित, comparative)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• दशाम्: state/condition
• दशाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: dharma/virtue
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अधर्मम्: adharma/vice
• अधर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुखम्: pleasure
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दुःखम्: pain/sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मानम्: honour/pride
• मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनर्थम्: harm/misfortune
• अनर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हितम्: benefit/welfare
• हितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अहितम्: harm/unwholesome
• अहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmaphala persists after death; the sinful mind (pāpātmā) enters a worse state and must face the dual fruits of dharma and adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandhana and the experience of dvandvas (pairs of opposites) in saṃsāra; ethical causality operating across death.

Application: Cultivate dharmic conduct and mental purity now; reflect daily on consequences of actions and intentions, reducing adharma-driven habits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general doctrine of post-death karmic adjudication and experiencing sukha/duhkha according to deeds (contextual parallel within Pretakalpa sections)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of karma after death in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that death does not end moral accountability; a sinful person can enter an even worse post-death condition where the results of dharma/adharma and benefit/harm are experienced as karmic fruition.

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

It frames the post-death journey as consequence-driven: the soul meets the outcomes of its choices—pleasure and pain, honor and ruin—indicating an unfolding of karmaphala rather than a neutral or random afterlife.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and restraint: reduce harmful actions, cultivate truthful and beneficial conduct, and treat choices as having lasting consequences beyond immediate life circumstances.