Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 35

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

भूतं भव्यं बविष्यञ्च पापं जन्मत्रयार्जितम् / पक्षालयति तत् सर्वं विप्रकन्योपनायनात्

Transliteration

bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ baviṣyañca pāpaṃ janmatrayārjitam / pakṣālayati tat sarvaṃ viprakanyopanāyanāt

Translation

Tội lỗi tích tụ qua ba đời—quá khứ, hiện tại, và cả những gì sẽ phát sinh trong tương lai—đều được gột rửa hoàn toàn nhờ lễ upanayana (thọ dây thiêng) của một thiếu nữ Bà-la-môn.

Word by Word

• bhūtam: past (time)
• bhūtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū भू धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past participle (भूत) used adjectivally

• bhavyam: future/that which will be
• bhavyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective qualifying pāpam

• bhaviṣyam: future (time)
• bhaviṣyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaviṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective qualifying pāpam

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• pāpam: sin
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• janma-traya-arjitam: acquired over three births
• janma-traya-arjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + arjita (कृदन्त; √arj अर्ज् धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: janmatraya (त्रयाणां जन्मनाम्) + arjita (acquired)

• prakṣālayati: washes away
• prakṣālayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṣāl (प्रक्षाल् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; pronoun referring to pāpam

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective qualifying tat/pāpam

• vipra-kanyā-upanāyanāt: from the upanayana of a Brahmin girl
• vipra-kanyā-upanāyanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + upanāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: viprakanyā (विप्रस्य कन्या) + upanāyana (initiation/bringing near)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Performing/arranging a major saṃskāra (upanayana) as dāna/puṇya-act yields profound pāpa-kṣaya across births.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as citta-śuddhi and dharma as a purifier that supports higher pursuit (adhikāra for jñāna/bhakti).

Application: Support education and initiation into disciplined study (symbolically: sponsor learning, rites, or formative ethical training) with purity of intent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: saṃskāra and dāna praised as pāpa-kṣaya means; upanayana as dharma-adhikāra marker

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of upanayana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents upanayana as a powerful samskara that purifies deep karmic demerit, described as sins accumulated across three births, emphasizing ritual initiation as a means of moral and spiritual cleansing.

How does this verse explain the working of karma across lifetimes?

By explicitly mentioning sins ‘earned over three births’ and linking their removal to a dharmic rite, the verse frames karma as multi-life continuity and portrays samskaras as capable of transforming or exhausting stored papa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat life-cycle rites and disciplined study/ethical living (the spirit of upanayana) as commitments to self-purification—reducing harmful actions now and cultivating habits that prevent future wrongdoing.