Shloka 8
Gālava Completes the Horse-Gift: Garuḍa’s Counsel and Viśvāmitra’s Acceptance (गालव-विष्वामित्र-सम्बन्धः)
न पुत्रफलभोक्ता हि राजर्षे पात्यते दिव: । न याति नरकं घोर यथा गच्छन्त्यनात्मजा:
na putraphalabhoktā hi rājarṣe pātyate divaḥ | na yāti narakaṃ ghoraṃ yathā gacchanty anātmajāḥ ||
ନାରଦ କହିଲେ—“ହେ ରାଜର୍ଷି! ପୁତ୍ରଜନିତ ପୁଣ୍ୟଫଳ ଭୋଗ କରୁଥିବା ମନୁଷ୍ୟ କେବେ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗରୁ ପତିତ ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ। ଏବଂ ନିଃସନ୍ତାନମାନେ ଯେପରି ଘୋର ନରକକୁ ଯାଆନ୍ତି, ସେପରି ସେ ଯାଏ ନାହିଁ।”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a traditional dharma-idea: progeny—especially a son—generates ongoing religious merit (puṇya) through lineage duties and rites, and one who enjoys that ‘fruit of a son’ is protected from spiritual downfall and the fate attributed to the childless.
Nārada addresses a ‘rājarṣi’ (a king of sage-like conduct) and offers counsel framed in afterlife consequences, using heaven and hell as moral incentives to emphasize the value of having offspring within the dharma framework.