Shloka 43

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

द्वावेतौ विद्धि चाण्डालौ सगोत्राद्यस्तु जायते / स्वर्यातिविहितान्पुत्रः समुत्पाद्य खगेश्वर

Transliteration

dvāvetau viddhi cāṇḍālau sagotrādyastu jāyate / svaryātivihitānputraḥ samutpādya khageśvara

Translation

Ketahuilah, wahai Penguasa Burung, bahawa dua golongan ini harus dianggap sebagai Cāṇḍāla: pertama, yang lahir daripada penyatuan terlarang dalam satu gotra yang sama (sagotra); kedua, seorang anak lelaki yang setelah memperanakkan zuriat dengan cara terlarang, lalu meninggalkan dunia ini menuju syurga.

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (चाण्डालौ)

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• विद्धि: know (you)
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चाण्डालौ: caṇḍālas (outcastes)
• चाण्डालौ: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• सगोत्रात्: from the same lineage
• सगोत्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (समानं गोत्रं यस्य)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स्वर्यातिविहितान्: those prescribed/ordained by 'svaryāti' (reading uncertain)
• स्वर्यातिविहितान्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्याति (प्रातिपदिक, uncertain reading) + विहित (कृदन्त, क्त; वि + धा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वर्यातिना विहितान्) विशेषण (पुत्रान्/पुत्रः-सम्बन्ध)

• पुत्रः: a son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• समुत्पाद्य: having produced
• समुत्पाद्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + उत् + पद्/पाद् (धातु) → समुत्पाद्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having produced/caused to be born)

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuda)
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (खगानाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Forbidden same-gotra unions and prohibited procreation are condemned; such transgressions are said to produce ‘cāṇḍāla’-status outcomes within the text’s taxonomy.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra framed through social-ritual law; emphasis on niyama and lineage regulation rather than nondual ontology.

Application: Within traditional ritual frameworks: observe marriage/lineage rules as prescribed by one’s śākhā/smṛti; more broadly: recognize the importance of informed consent, lawful kinship boundaries, and social responsibility in family formation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: discussions of gotra rules and prohibited relations affecting śrāddha eligibility (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Khageshvara)
• Chandala (outcaste)

FAQs

What is the importance of sagotra (same-gotra) prohibition in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats birth from a same-gotra/forbidden union as a grave breach of dharma, classifying it among causes that lead to being regarded as a cāṇḍāla (social and ritual exclusion).

How does this verse relate karma and moral conduct to spiritual outcomes like heaven?

It warns that even if one attains heaven, producing offspring through prohibited means is still condemned—showing that ritual/ethical violations carry their own dharmic stigma and consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat family/lineage rules and ethical responsibilities around relationships and parenthood seriously, emphasizing informed, responsible conduct aligned with one’s tradition and societal duties.