Shloka 5

Karma-vipāka: Rebirths and Bodily Marks Resulting from Specific Sins

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मस्वं कन्यकां क्रीत्वा वने रक्षो भवेद्वृषः / रत्नहृद्धीनजातः स्यात्पत्रशाकहरः शिखी

Transliteration

brahmasvaṃ kanyakāṃ krītvā vane rakṣo bhavedvṛṣaḥ / ratnahṛddhīnajātaḥ syātpatraśākaharaḥ śikhī

Translation

جو برہمن کا مال ہڑپ کرے اور کنیا کو جنس سمجھ کر خریدے، وہ جنگل میں بیل جیسے راکشس کی صورت میں جنم لیتا ہے۔ جو رتن چُرائے وہ کند ذہن پیدا ہوتا ہے؛ اور جو پتّے دار ساگ ہرے وہ مور کی یونی میں جنم لیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• brahma-svam: Brahmin’s property
• brahma-svam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘property of a Brahmin’

• kanyakām: a maiden
• kanyakām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• krītvā: having bought
• krītvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krī (धातु; √krī)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• rakṣaḥ: a demon (rakṣas)
• rakṣaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु; √bhū)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vṛṣaḥ: a bull
• vṛṣaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ratna-hṛt: jewel-thief
• ratna-hṛt: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + hṛt (कृदन्त; √hṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘hṛt’ = ‘stealer’

• hīna-jātaḥ: born deficient; low-born
• hīna-jātaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna (प्रातिपदिक) + jāta (कृदन्त; √jan)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त

• syāt: would become
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु; √as)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• patra-śāka-haraḥ: stealer of leaves and vegetables
• patra-śāka-haraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक) + śāka (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक; from √hṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व—‘patra’ and ‘śāka’ as objects of ‘hara’

• śikhī: a peacock (crested bird)
• śikhī: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘crested one’ (often peacock)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Misappropriating brahmin property or commodifying a maiden leads to rākṣasa-like forest existence; gem theft dulls intellect; stealing leafy greens leads to peacock rebirth.

Vedantic Theme: Desecration of dharma (especially brahminical trust and human dignity) intensifies tamas; karma shapes buddhi (intellect) and yoni.

Application: Respect sacred/entrusted property, uphold consent and dignity (no commodification of persons), avoid theft; cultivate dana and ethical commerce.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest/liminal zone and rebirth outcome

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: brahmasva-apaharaṇa condemned; lists of theft consequences; Garuda Purana: sections praising dana and condemning exploitation

Characters & Entities

• Brahmin
• Rakshasa
• Peacock

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-based punishments in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows the Garuda Purana’s principle that specific unethical acts (theft, exploitation) produce correspondingly specific rebirth outcomes, reinforcing dharma through karmic consequence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after sinful actions?

It implies that after death the jīva carries karmic impressions that shape its next embodiment, here described as lower births or demonic states aligned with the nature of the wrongdoing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Respect others’ property and dignity—avoid theft, exploitation, and coercive transactions—since the text frames these as heavy adharma with severe karmic results.