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

మరణానంతరమున కూడా పాపబుద్ధిగల వాడు మరింత ఘోరమైన పాపస్థితికి పడతాడు; అక్కడ ధర్మాధర్మ, సుఖదుఃఖ, మానాపమాన, హితాహిత ఫలితాలను ఎదుర్కొంటాడు।

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.