Shloka 73

Devanagari script

वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धानि क्रोधहर्षसमन्विताः / कर्माणि ये तु कुर्वन्ति सर्वे निरयवासिनः

Transliteration

varṇāśramaviruddhāni krodhaharṣasamanvitāḥ / karmāṇi ye tu kurvanti sarve nirayavāsinaḥ

Translation

ఎవరైతే కోపం మరియు ఉద్వేగంతో వర్ణాశ్రమ ధర్మానికి విరుద్ధమైన పనులను చేస్తారో, వారందరూ నరకానికి వెళ్ళవలసినవారే.

Word by Word

• वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धानि: contrary to varṇa and āśrama (social/religious order)
• वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम + विरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विशेषण—कर्माणि इति पदस्य

• क्रोधहर्षसमन्विताः: endowed with anger and joy (excitement)
• क्रोधहर्षसमन्विताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध + हर्ष + समन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; सम्+अन्वि धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण—ये इति पदस्य

• कर्माणि: actions/deeds
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• कुर्वन्ति: do/perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ये इत्यस्य विशेषण

• निरयवासिनः: dwellers of hell
• निरयवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; वासिन्-प्रातिपदिक (inhabitant)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Svadharma (varna-ashrama duties) as a stabilizing ethical order; actions opposed to it, especially when driven by reactive emotions, ripen as naraka-phala.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha through rajas/tamas-driven agency; necessity of sattvic discipline and alignment with dharma to avoid painful rebirth/afterlife states.

Application: Cultivate emotional regulation (krodha-harsha), examine motives before acting, and align conduct with one’s responsibilities and life-stage commitments.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general naraka descriptions and karma-phala mapping (adjacent naraka-catalog sections); Garuda Purana: varna-ashrama and sadachara discussions in dharma-oriented passages

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of varṇa-āśrama dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats varṇa-āśrama-aligned conduct as a core measure of dharma; actions that violate one’s prescribed duties are said to produce severe afterlife consequences.

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

It states that people who act against dharma—especially under strong passions like anger and elation—accrue karma that leads the soul toward naraka (hellish realms) rather than auspicious post-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid decisions made in anger or thrill, and align work and conduct with ethical duty and self-discipline; this reduces harmful karma and supports steadier, dharmic living.