Shloka 67

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

अगारदाही गरदः कुण्डाशी सोमविक्रयी / सुरापो मांसभक्षी च तथा च पशुघातकः

Transliteration

agāradāhī garadaḥ kuṇḍāśī somavikrayī / surāpo māṃsabhakṣī ca tathā ca paśughātakaḥ

Translation

ఇళ్లకు నిప్పుపెట్టేవాడు, విషం పెట్టేవాడు, నిషిద్ధ కుండాగ్నిలో వండిన అన్నంతో జీవించే వాడు, సోమాన్ని అమ్మేవాడు, మద్యపుడు, మాంసభక్షకుడు, మరియు పశుహంతకుడు—ఇవన్నీ ఘోర పాపులుగా చెప్పబడ్డారు.

Word by Word

• agāra-dāhī: house-burner (arsonist)
• agāra-dāhī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agāra (प्रातिपदिक) + dāhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—अगारस्य दाही (house-burner)

• garadaḥ: poisoner (one dealing in poison)
• garadaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kuṇḍāśī: one who eats from a pot (improper eater)
• kuṇḍāśī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—कुण्डात्/कुण्डस्य आशी (one who eats from a pot; low feeder)

• soma-vikrayī: seller of soma
• soma-vikrayī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—सोमस्य विक्रयी (seller of soma)

• surāpaḥ: liquor-drinker
• surāpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surā (प्रातिपदिक) + pa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष—सुरां पिबति इति (drinker of liquor)

• māṃsa-bhakṣī: meat-eater
• māṃsa-bhakṣī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—मांसस्य भक्षी (meat-eater)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (also/likewise)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• paśu-ghātakaḥ: animal-killer/butcher
• paśu-ghātakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक) + ghātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—पशूनां घातकः (killer of animals)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Grave sins include arson, poisoning, forbidden-fire eating (kuṇḍāśī), selling Soma, drunkenness, meat-eating, and animal killing—each generating severe karmic retribution.

Vedantic Theme: Hiṃsā and adharma intensify bondage; tamasic actions obscure buddhi and lead to painful karma-phala.

Application: Commit to nonviolence, sobriety, and integrity; avoid harming others through violence or deceit; respect sacred substances and ritual boundaries.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: moral-legal landscape of sin (pāpa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of mahāpātaka and upapātaka-like acts and their punishments; Garuda Purana: repeated condemnation of surā-pāna, hiṃsā, and sacrilege as causes of naraka

Characters & Entities

• Soma

FAQs

What is the importance of listing specific sins in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a moral catalogue: it names concrete harmful actions (violence, deceit, ritual transgression) so readers can recognize pāpa-karma and avoid causes that lead to suffering after death.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, such acts are presented as causes that bring the departed under Yama’s judgment, shaping the preta’s post-death experience through karmic consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid harm to others (arson, poisoning, violence), avoid intoxication that destroys judgment, and follow ethical livelihood—especially refraining from exploitative or sacrilegious trade tied to sacred practices.