Shloka 5

Karma, Subtle-Body Formation, and the Route of Departure (Ūrdhva-mārga)

Devanagari script

अरण्ये निर्जने देशे जायते ब्रह्मराक्षसः / हीनजातौ प्रजायेत रत्नानामपहारकः

Transliteration

araṇye nirjane deśe jāyate brahmarākṣasaḥ / hīnajātau prajāyeta ratnānāmapahārakaḥ

Translation

ویران جنگل کے سنسان مقام میں وہ برہمرکشس بن کر پیدا ہوتا ہے؛ اور جو جواہرات چراتا ہے وہ کم تر ذات میں جنم لیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अरण्ये: in a forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• निर्जने: in a deserted (place)
• निर्जने: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying देशे/अरण्ये)

• देशे: in a place/region
• देशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ब्रह्मराक्षसः: a Brahma-rākṣasa (demonic being)
• ब्रह्मराक्षसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः राक्षसः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• हीनजातौ: in a low birth/caste
• हीनजातौ: Adhikarana (State/condition locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हीन + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः—हीना जातिः (विशेषण-विशेष्य)

• प्रजायेत: would be born
• प्रजायेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्गः—प्र

• रत्नानाम्: of jewels
• रत्नानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अपहारकः: a thief/robber
• अपहारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप + हृ (धातु) + ण्वुल् (प्रत्यय) → अपहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-नाम (agent noun)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific sins yield specific rebirths: brahmasva-related offenses can lead to brahma-rākṣasa birth; jewel-theft leads to degraded/low birth.

Vedantic Theme: Karmic determinism shaping jāti and yoni; saṃsāra as moral causality.

Application: Refrain from theft (especially sacred/valuable items); cultivate contentment (santoṣa) and non-covetousness (asteya).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: yoni-bheda (species/birth) results for thieves and sacrilegious acts; Garuda Purana: brahma-rākṣasa descriptions in preta-related passages

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-rakshasa

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic rebirth classifications in the Garuda Purana?

This verse illustrates karma-vipāka: specific unethical actions (like theft) are linked to specific forms of rebirth, emphasizing moral accountability beyond a single lifetime.

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

It presents the post-death moral trajectory as leading to particular embodiments: severe spiritual downfall can result in a brahma-rākṣasa state, while stealing valuables leads to a degraded human birth—showing consequences that shape the next existence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid taking what is not given—especially valuables—and protect integrity in livelihood; the text frames such restraint as dharma that safeguards one’s future well-being and spiritual standing.