Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

गतश्च नरकं पापात्स्वर्गं याति स्वपुण्यतः / पापकृद्याति नरकं पुण्यकृद्याति वै दिवम्

Transliteration

gataśca narakaṃ pāpātsvargaṃ yāti svapuṇyataḥ / pāpakṛdyāti narakaṃ puṇyakṛdyāti vai divam

Translation

گناہ سے دوزخ ملتی ہے اور اپنے پُنّیہ سے سُورگ۔ بدکردار دوزخ جاتا ہے، اور نیکوکار یقیناً دیویہ لوک کو پاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘gone’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पापात्: due to sin
• पापात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्वपुण्यतः: due to one’s own merit
• स्वपुण्यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘स्वस्य पुण्यम्’), हेत्वर्थे

• पापकृत्: a sinner (doer of sin)
• पापकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक; कृ (धातु) + क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-नाम (क्विपन्त), तत्पुरुष (‘पापं करोति’)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नरकम्: to hell
• नरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पुण्यकृत्: a virtuous person (doer of merit)
• पुण्यकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक; कृ (धातु) + क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-नाम (क्विपन्त), तत्पुरुष (‘पुण्यं करोति’)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दिवम्: heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः-शब्दस्य), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘दिवम्’ = स्वर्गम्

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala is destination-specific: pāpa leads to naraka; puṇya leads to svarga.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as binding force within saṃsāra; experiential worlds as results, not ultimate liberation.

Application: Choose actions aligned with dharma; reduce harm and cultivate virtue through truthfulness, non-injury, charity, and self-restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: realms

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: catalogues of narakas and corresponding sins; Garuda Purana: svarga descriptions and puṇya-producing acts

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Svarga
• Divam

FAQs

What is the importance of karma (pāpa and puṇya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states the core rule: sinful actions (pāpa) lead to naraka, while meritorious actions (puṇya) lead to svarga—outcomes are determined by one’s own deeds.

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

It frames the post-death trajectory in moral terms: the soul’s destination is shaped by accumulated pāpa or puṇya, resulting in hellish or heavenly realms accordingly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose ethical conduct, restraint from harmful acts, and consistent virtuous deeds—because the text emphasizes personal responsibility for one’s afterlife results.