Shloka 25

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

छिन्नानि तेषां शतशः खण्डान्यैक्यं व्रजन्ति हि / एवं वर्षसहस्राणि भ्राम्यन्ते पापकर्मिणः

Transliteration

chinnāni teṣāṃ śataśaḥ khaṇḍānyaikyaṃ vrajanti hi / evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇi bhrāmyante pāpakarmiṇaḥ

Translation

แม้กายของเขาจะถูกตัดเป็นร้อย ๆ ชิ้น เศษเหล่านั้นก็กลับมาประกอบรวมกันครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า; ด้วยประการฉะนี้ผู้ทำบาปย่อมระหกระเหินนับพันปี

Word by Word

• छिन्नानि: cut, severed
• छिन्नानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (in hundreds; repeatedly)

• खण्डानि: pieces
• खण्डानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ऐक्यम्: unity, oneness
• ऐक्यम्: Gati/Karman (Goal as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• व्रजन्ति: they go/attain
• व्रजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• वर्षसहस्राणि: for thousands of years
• वर्षसहस्राणि: Kala-adhikarana (Time extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; वर्षम् + सहस्रम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां सहस्राणि) कालपरिमाण

• भ्राम्यन्ते: they wander/whirl
• भ्राम्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पापकर्मिणः: evil-doers, sinners
• पापकर्मिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक; पापम् + कर्मिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (पापं कर्म यस्य/यः करोति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The naraka-body is reconstituted to continue experiencing karma-phala; time in hell can extend for 'thousands of years' proportionate to sin.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra as repetition driven by karma; the body as instrument (upādhi) for experience, even in infernal states.

Application: Avoid grave harms; undertake prāyaścitta, charity, and devotion to reduce papa; cultivate compassion to prevent actions that lead to such outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: naraka field of mutilation and reconstitution

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: motifs of bodies being cut and re-formed in various narakas; Garuda Purana: duration of naraka tied to papa-quantum

Characters & Entities

• Pāpakarmī (sinner)

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic punishment in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that sinful actions (pāpa-karma) lead to prolonged, repetitive suffering after death, illustrating the inevitability and intensity of karmic consequence.

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

It depicts the sinner’s post-death condition as extended wandering and recurring torment—symbolic of being bound to the results of one’s deeds until the karmic burden is exhausted.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate ethical conduct and restraint, avoid harmful actions, and adopt remedial practices (repentance, charity, dharma) to reduce pāpa and its future consequences.