Shloka 4

Śivarātri Vrata: Timing, Accidental Merit, and the Complete Night-Vigil Procedure

Devanagari script

निषादश्चर्बुदे राजा पापी सुन्दरसेनकः / स कुक्रुरैः समायुक्तो मृगान्हन्तुं वनं गतः

Transliteration

niṣādaścarbude rājā pāpī sundarasenakaḥ / sa kukruraiḥ samāyukto mṛgānhantuṃ vanaṃ gataḥ

Translation

ในแคว้นอรฺพุทะมีพระราชาแห่งนิษาทะผู้หนึ่ง คือสุันทรเสนกะผู้บาปหนา. เขาพร้อมด้วยสุนัขล่าสัตว์อันดุร้าย ออกไปสู่ป่าเพื่อฆ่ากวาง.

Word by Word

• निषादः: a Niṣāda (hunter/tribesman)
• निषादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अर्बुदे: in Arbuda (region)
• अर्बुदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देश/स्थानाधिकरण

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापी: sinful
• पापी: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राज्ञः विशेषणम्

• सुन्दरसेनकः: Sundarasenaka (proper name)
• सुन्दरसेनकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + सेनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नामधेय (सुन्दरः सेनकः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुक्रुरैः: with dogs
• कुक्रुरैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्रुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सहकारक (with dogs)

• समायुक्तः: accompanied/equipped
• समायुक्तः: Kriya-vishesana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√युज् (धातु) → समायुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘equipped/associated’

• मृगान्: deer/animals
• मृगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), ‘to kill’

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थकक्रियायां कर्म (to the forest)

• गतः: went
• गतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियासमानार्थ (having gone)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sinful conduct (hiṃsā, cruelty, unrighteous kingship) sets karmic consequences in motion; narrative groundwork for later transformation or retribution.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s inevitability within saṃsāra; adharma clouds discernment and drives one toward further bondage.

Application: Avoid cruelty and needless violence; recognize how habits and companions (fierce dogs/retinue) amplify destructive tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: mountain/forest kingdom

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.124 (Śivarātri-kathā likely to unfold with this character as exemplar)

Characters & Entities

• Niṣāda
• Sundarasenaka
• Arbuda

FAQs

What is the importance of hunting-related sin in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a sinner whose identity is defined by animal-killing, setting up the Garuda Purana theme that violence (hiṃsā) becomes a direct cause of painful karmic results after death.

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

It begins a narrative example: the person’s dominant actions (here, hunting and killing) are highlighted first, because the Garuda Purana commonly uses such life-actions to explain why a soul later faces Yama’s judgments and specific consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce harm to living beings, avoid cruelty and needless killing, and cultivate compassion—because repeated violent choices are portrayed as forming the karmic basis for suffering beyond this life.