Shloka 20

An exposition of varṇa-dharma as taught by Yājñavalkya

Devanagari script

व्यभिचारादृतौशुद्धिर्गर्भेत्यागं करोति च / गर्भभर्तृवधे तासां तथा महति पातके

Transliteration

vyabhicārādṛtauśuddhirgarbhetyāgaṃ karoti ca / garbhabhartṛvadhe tāsāṃ tathā mahati pātake

Translation

Do ngoại tình, nàng mất đi sự thanh khiết trong kỳ kinh nguyệt; và khi thụ thai, nàng có thể bỏ rơi bào thai. Với những phụ nữ như vậy, giết thai nhi và giết chồng đều bị coi là trọng tội.

Word by Word

• व्यभिचारात्: from/after adultery
• व्यभिचारात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यभिचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ऋतौ: in the (proper) season/menstrual period
• ऋतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गर्भे: in pregnancy / when pregnant
• गर्भे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• त्यागम्: abandonment, giving up
• त्यागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• करोति: does, performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• गर्भभर्तृवधे: in the killing of the fetus and (one's) husband
• गर्भभर्तृवधे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (गर्भस्य/भर्तुः वधः)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/also')

• महति: great
• महति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पातके: in a sin/offence
• पातके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (addressing Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transgression corrupts śauca and generates heavy pāpa; abortion (garbha-tyāga) and spousal harm are treated as mahāpātaka-level acts.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as moral causality binding the jīva; violation of ahiṃsā and trust intensifies bondage.

Application: Uphold non-harm and responsibility in sexual ethics; in modern terms, address reproductive decisions with compassion, legality, and protection from coercion/violence, while recognizing the text’s strong deterrent framing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: household/body (ṛtu, garbha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.95.18 (sanctions for vyabhicāra); Garuda Purana 1.95.21 (sin of neglecting wife)

FAQs

What is the importance of sexual ethics (vyabhicāra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames adultery as a serious breach of dharma that damages ritual and moral purity, and it is linked with escalating grave harms such as abandoning or killing a fetus—thereby increasing karmic demerit (pātaka).

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

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it classifies certain actions as “great sins” (mahati pātaka), implying heavier karmic burden that leads to harsher post-mortem consequences in the Purāṇic framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold fidelity, responsibility, and non-harm; treat sexuality and family duties as ethical commitments, since actions that violate trust and life-bearing responsibility are portrayed as spiritually and socially destructive.