Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 14

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

अग्निदो गरदश्चैव कूटसाक्षी च मद्यपः / यज्ञविध्वंसकश्चैव राज्ञीगामी च पैशुनः

Transliteration

agnido garadaścaiva kūṭasākṣī ca madyapaḥ / yajñavidhvaṃsakaścaiva rājñīgāmī ca paiśunaḥ

Translation

Ang nagsusunog (arsonista), ang naglalason, ang huwad na saksi, ang lasenggo; ang sumisira sa mga ritwal ng yajña, ang umaakit sa asawa ng iba, at ang mapanirang maninirang-puri—ang mga ito’y ibinibilang din sa mabibigat na makasalanan.

Word by Word

• agnidaḥ: one who gives fire (arsonist/one who sets fire)
• agnidaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘agnim dadāti’/‘agneh dātā’

• garadaḥ: poisoner
• garadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (Emphatic/Restrictive particle)

• kūṭa-sākṣī: false witness
• kūṭa-sākṣī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūṭa + sākṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: ‘कूटः साक्षी’ (false witness)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• madyapaḥ: drunkard (wine-drinker)
• madyapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madya + pa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘madyam pibati’

• yajña-vidhvaṃsakaḥ: destroyer of sacrifices
• yajña-vidhvaṃsakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + vidhvaṃsaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘yajñasya vidhvaṃsakaḥ’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (Emphatic/Restrictive particle)

• rājñī-gāmī: one who goes to/consorts with the queen
• rājñī-gāmī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājñī + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘rājñīm gacchati’ (goes to the queen)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• paiśunaḥ: slanderer/informer
• paiśunaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paiśuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain acts—arson, poisoning, perjury, intoxication, disrupting yajña, adultery, slander—are marked as grievous adharma with heavy karmic weight.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma as tamasic/rajasic distortion of right order; karma accrues through body, speech, and mind.

Application: Avoid harm and deceit; maintain sobriety; protect communal religious/civic institutions; practice sexual restraint and truthful speech.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of sinners and corresponding narakas often follow such catalogues

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Yajna

FAQs

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

This verse categorizes specific acts as grave adharma, warning that such karmas create severe post-death consequences and obstruct a favorable afterlife course.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Preta Kanda?

In the Preta Kanda, moral transgressions are linked to Yama’s judgment and suffering in post-mortem states; this verse identifies deeds that lead to harsh outcomes for the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid harm (arson/poisoning), uphold truth in speech and law (no perjury or slander), maintain sobriety, protect sacred duties (do not disrupt rites), and practice sexual and social ethics.