Shloka 2

Karma-vipāka: Rebirths and Bodily Marks Resulting from Specific Sins

Devanagari script

स्वर्णचोरः कृमिः कीटः तृणादिर्गुरुतल्पगः / क्षयरोगी श्यावदन्तः कुनखी शिपिविष्टकः

Transliteration

svarṇacoraḥ kṛmiḥ kīṭaḥ tṛṇādirgurutalpagaḥ / kṣayarogī śyāvadantaḥ kunakhī śipiviṣṭakaḥ

Translation

偷金者转生为虫或昆虫；亵渎师长之床者（gurutalpaga）转生为草等卑微之物。患痨病者、牙齿发黑者、指甲畸形者、患皮肤病者——皆为特定罪业所致的生相。

Word by Word

• svarṇa-coraḥ: gold-thief
• svarṇa-coraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + cora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kṛmiḥ: a worm
• kṛmiḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kīṭaḥ: an insect
• kīṭaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tṛṇa-ādiḥ: grass etc. (as a low form)
• tṛṇa-ādiḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘ādi’ = beginning/and the like

• guru-talpagaḥ: one who violates the guru’s bed
• guru-talpagaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + talpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (कृदन्त; √gam)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘talpaga’ = ‘one who goes to the bed’ (agent noun)

• kṣaya-rogī: a consumptive (TB patient)
• kṣaya-rogī: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + rogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• śyāva-dantaḥ: black-toothed
• śyāva-dantaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śyāva (प्रातिपदिक) + danta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘श्यावाः दन्ताः यस्य’ (descriptive)

• ku-nakhī: with deformed nails
• ku-nakhī: Pratipādya (Predicate-adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ku (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + nakhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘bad/ugly-nailed’

• śipi-viṣṭakaḥ: a śipiviṣṭaka (a low/impure being; term of abuse)
• śipi-viṣṭakaḥ: Pratipādya (Predicate-noun/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śipi (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; दुर्लभ-शब्द (rare)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific pāpas yield specific yonis/conditions: gold-theft → worms/insects; guru-bed violation → grass-like birth; other sins → wasting disease, dental/nail deformities, skin disease.

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāsa of doership binds the jīva to nāma-rūpa; karma shapes the upādhi (body-mind) until liberation.

Application: Practice asteya (non-stealing), brahmacarya/sexual ethics, and reverence for teachers; seek prāyaścitta and corrective conduct early.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: rebirth (yoni) outcomes

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana lists of pāpa→roga/yonis; Garuda Purana teachings on guru-droha and its severity

FAQs

What is the importance of describing sins and punishments in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links specific unethical acts to specific karmic results, reinforcing dharma through clear moral causality and deterrence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It indicates that wrongdoing can shape the jīva’s next embodiment—sometimes into lower life-forms or into human birth marked by suffering and disease—according to karmaphala.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid theft and sexual transgression, cultivate integrity and restraint, and treat teachers/elders with reverence—ethical conduct is presented as protection against severe karmic outcomes.