Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 12

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

शान्तं बुभुक्षितं विप्रंयो विघ्नायोपसर्पति / क्रिमिभिर्भक्ष्यते तत्र यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्

Transliteration

śāntaṃ bubhukṣitaṃ vipraṃyo vighnāyopasarpati / krimibhirbhakṣyate tatra yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam

Translation

Kẻ nào đến gần một Bà-la-môn hiền hòa đang đói, với ý định gây chướng ngại cho người ấy, thì nơi cõi kia sẽ bị giòi bọ ăn rỉa, chịu đựng cho đến lúc thế giới tan hoại vào cuối thời đại.

Word by Word

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying विप्रम्

• बुभुक्षितम्: hungry
• बुभुक्षितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुभुक्षित (प्रातिपदिक) < बुभुक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय; ‘hungry’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying विप्रम्

• विप्रम्: a brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; relative pronoun

• विघ्नाय: for obstruction / to harm
• विघ्नाय: Prayojana/Sampradāna (प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन) एकवचन; purpose dative

• उपसर्पति: approaches
• उपसर्पति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+सृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्रिमिभिः: by worms
• क्रिमिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) बहुवचन

• भक्ष्यते: is eaten/devoured
• भक्ष्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb of place

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Kāla-avadhi (कालावधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; correlating particle (परिमाण/अवधि)

• आ-भूत-संप्लवम्: up to the cosmic dissolution
• आ-भूत-संप्लवम्: Kāla-avadhi (कालावधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभूतसंप्लव (प्रातिपदिक) [आ+भूत+संप्लव]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; used as time-limit object with यावत् (‘up to …’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Obstructing a peaceful, needy brāhmaṇa (especially with malicious intent) violates dharma and yields extreme karmic consequence.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma as avidyā-driven action; karma binds across vast time-scales (kalpa).

Application: Do not harass or obstruct the vulnerable or the pious; instead offer support (anna-dāna, respect, non-interference).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: hell-realm (naraka)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated emphasis on brāhmaṇa-apacāra (offenses against brāhmaṇas) and their punishments

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Krimi (worms)
• Pralaya (cosmic dissolution)

FAQs

What is the importance of not obstructing a brāhmaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats deliberate obstruction of a peaceful, hungry brāhmaṇa as a grave adharma that yields severe post-death suffering, emphasizing protection of dharma and those engaged in sacred duty.

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

It presents a specific karmic consequence: the wrongdoer experiences a punitive condition in the afterlife (associated with Yama’s order in Preta Kanda narratives), where suffering is prolonged in proportion to the offense.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not sabotage, mock, or block sincere religious practice or those in need; instead, support ethical conduct and offer food/help to the hungry—especially those devoted to study, service, and worship.