Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 64

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

न क्षत्त्रैर्जोवते यस्तु नरो गच्छेदधोमुखम् / क्षीरं सुरां च मासं लाक्षां गन्धं रसं तिलान्

Transliteration

na kṣattrairjovate yastu naro gacchedadhomukham / kṣīraṃ surāṃ ca māsaṃ lākṣāṃ gandhaṃ rasaṃ tilān

Translation

凡不以正当侍奉与戒律而生者，将被迫头朝下坠入下界。同样，沉溺或滥用乳、醉酒之饮、肉、虫胶、香料、诸般美味与芝麻者，亦将承受罪业之果。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• kṣattraiḥ: by/through kṣattras (royal service/guards)
• kṣattraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• jīvate: lives/earns a living
• jīvate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• gacchet: would go
• gacchet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• adho-mukham: downward-faced (to a downward state)
• adho-mukham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—अधः मुखं यस्य/अधोमुखम्; गच्छेत् इत्यस्य गन्तव्य-विशेषणम्

• kṣīram: milk
• kṣīram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• surām: liquor
• surām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• māsam: meat (māṃsa intended; here māsam per text)
• māsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• lākṣām: lac/resin dye
• lākṣām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lākṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• gandham: fragrance/perfume
• gandham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• rasam: juice/essence
• rasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• tilān: sesame seeds
• tilān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right livelihood and disciplined conduct prevent downfall; misuse/indulgence in certain substances (milk, liquor, meat, lac, perfumes, delicacies, sesame) is framed as ethically contaminating and karmically weighty.

Vedantic Theme: Sense-control (indriya-nigraha) and sattvic living support higher gati; tamasic/rajasic indulgence binds the jīva to lower outcomes.

Application: Adopt ethical livelihood, moderation, and context-appropriate use of consumables; avoid intoxication and harmful indulgence; treat ritual-pure items with respect.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: lower realms (adhomukha-gati)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated lists of prohibited trades/consumptions leading to lower gati; Garuda Purana: moral taxonomy linking livelihood (ājīvika) with post-mortem trajectory

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Nara (human being)

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding intoxicants and improper indulgence in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links indulgence in items like surā (liquor) and sensual luxuries to pāpa that leads the soul toward lower destinations, stressing restraint and purity as safeguards in the after-death journey.

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

It uses the image of going “adhomukha” (headlong downward) to indicate karmic descent—harmful choices and unrighteous livelihood weigh the jīva toward painful post-mortem states described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a clean livelihood and practice moderation—avoid intoxication, cruelty-driven consumption, and ritual misuse of sacred items like tila; cultivate ethical discipline to reduce harmful karmic momentum.