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Shloka 23

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

कृतघ्नः कृमिकः कीटः पतङ्गो वृश्चिकस्तथा / अशस्त्रं पुरुषं हर्ता नरः सञ्जायते खरः

Transliteration

kṛtaghnaḥ kṛmikaḥ kīṭaḥ pataṅgo vṛścikastathā / aśastraṃ puruṣaṃ hartā naraḥ sañjāyate kharaḥ

Translation

ناشکرا شخص کیڑا، حشرہ، پتنگ یا بچھو وغیرہ کی یونی میں جنم لیتا ہے؛ اور جو بے ہتھیار مرد کو قتل کرے وہ گدھے کی یونی پاتا ہے۔

Word by Word
कृतघ्नःingrate (one who harms a benefactor)
कृतघ्नः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) < कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त) + घ्न (हन्-धातु, घ्निन्/घ्न)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृतस्य घ्नः = उपकारघातकः)
कृमिकःa worm-like creature
कृमिकः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकृमिक (प्रातिपदिक) < कृमि + क (तद्धित)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
कीटःinsect
कीटः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकीट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
पतङ्गःmoth/winged insect
पतङ्गः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपतङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
वृश्चिकःscorpion
वृश्चिकः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवृश्चिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
तथाlikewise/also
तथा:
Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय/उपसंहारार्थक-अव्यय ("and likewise")
अशस्त्रम्unarmed
अशस्त्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ-शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) < शस्त्र + नञ् (अ-)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (पुरुषम्)
पुरुषम्a man/person
पुरुषम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
हर्ताstealer/robber
हर्ता:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहृ (धातु) + तृच् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)
नरःa man
नरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
सञ्जायतेis born/comes to be
सञ्जायते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + जन् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
खरःdonkey/ass
खरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootखर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific sins (ingratitude; killing the unarmed) yield specific lower rebirths (worms/insects; donkey).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and saṃsāra; adharma veils sattva and drives descent into tamasic yonis.

Application: Cultivate gratitude and non-violence; protect the defenseless; avoid exploiting power over the unarmed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic moral court / karmic domain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: karma-vipāka lists of yoni/animal rebirth for specific pāpas (adjacent verses 1.225.24–27); Garuda Purana: Yama-dharma expositions on hiṃsā and kṛtaghnatā (theme-level parallel)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda

FAQs

This verse treats ingratitude (kṛtaghnatā) as a serious adharma that degrades one’s future birth, indicating gratitude is a core ethical duty that supports right conduct and social harmony.

It states a direct karmic linkage: specific moral failures (ingratitude; killing the unarmed) lead to specific lower rebirths, illustrating the Garuda Purana’s framework of precise cause-and-effect across lives.

Cultivate gratitude toward parents, teachers, helpers, and benefactors, and uphold non-violence—especially refusing harm against the defenseless—since the text frames these as decisive factors shaping one’s future destiny.

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