Shloka 76

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

सुखोत्कर्षश्च सर्वत्र धर्मस्येहनिमिततः / पश्यन्तिनरकान्देवा ह्यधोवक्त्रान्सुदारुणान्

Transliteration

sukhotkarṣaśca sarvatra dharmasyehanimitataḥ / paśyantinarakāndevā hyadhovaktrānsudāruṇān

Translation

ਇੱਥੇ ਧਰਮ ਦੇ ਕਾਰਨ ਹਰ ਪਾਸੇ ਸੁੱਖ ਦਾ ਵਾਧਾ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਦੇਵਤੇ ਹੇਠਾਂ ਵੱਲ ਮੂੰਹ ਵਾਲੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੀ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਨਰਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦੇਖਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• सुखोत्कर्षः: increase of happiness
• सुखोत्कर्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + उत्कर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय; सर्व + त्र)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• धर्मस्य: of dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• इह: here (in this realm)
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• निमिततः: due to/as a cause
• निमिततः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: तद्धितान्त अव्यय (causal adverb)

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• नरकान्: hells
• नरकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक

• अधोवक्त्रान्: having mouths/faces downward
• अधोवक्त्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; नरकान् इत्यस्य विशेषण—‘downward-faced’

• सुदारुणान्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; नरकान् इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is a nimitta for sukha-vṛddhi; the cosmos displays moral polarity—well-being above, suffering below—observable even to devas.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-oriented conduct yields clarity and uplift; yet even celestial enjoyment remains within samsara, prompting discernment toward liberation.

Application: Choose dharmic conduct for sustainable well-being; contemplate consequences to strengthen viveka and restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: Cosmic vantage (upper realms looking down)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: contrasts of punya/papa fruits; devas and naraka witnessing motifs in Pretakalpa narrative flow

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of Dharma in Garuda Purana’s description of Naraka?

This verse links Dharma with the rise of well-being and implies that deviation from Dharma leads to confronting dreadful naraka-realms.

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

By contrasting Dharma’s beneficial results with the vision of terrible hells, it frames the after-death journey as karma-governed: righteousness elevates, wrongdoing leads toward naraka experiences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Strengthen daily ethical conduct—truthfulness, non-harm, restraint, and duty—so one’s karma aligns with Dharma rather than producing suffering-oriented outcomes.