Yajnavalkya's Teaching on the Ripening of Karma

Verse 1 (garuda.1.104.1)

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच । नरकात्पताकोद्भूतात्क्षयात्पापस्य कर्मणः । ब्रह्महा श्वा खरोष्ट्रः स्याद्भेको यकः सुराप्यपि

yājñavalkya uvāca narakātpatākodbhūtātkṣayātpāpasya karmaṇaḥ brahmahā śvā kharoṣṭraḥ syādbheko yakaḥ surāpyapi

Yajnavalkya said: After the exhaustion of the hell arising from sinful karma — the killer of a brahmin becomes a dog, a donkey, a camel, or a frog; the drinker of liquor likewise attains such births.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.104.2)

स्वर्णचोरः कृमिः कीटः तृणादिर्गुरुतल्पगः । क्षयरोगी श्यावदन्तः कुनखी शिपिविष्टकः

svarṇacoraḥ kṛmiḥ kīṭaḥ tṛṇādirgurutalpagaḥ kṣayarogī śyāvadantaḥ kunakhī śipiviṣṭakaḥ

A stealer of gold becomes a worm or insect, or a grass-eating creature; one who defiles his teacher's bed becomes consumptive, with blackened teeth, deformed nails, and blotched skin.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.104.3)

ब्रह्महत्याक्रमात्स्युश्च तत्सर्वं वा शिशोर्भवेत् । अन्नहर्त्ता मयावी स्यान्मूको रागापहारकः

brahmahatyākramātsyuśca tatsarvaṁ vā śiśorbhavet annaharttā mayāvī syānmūko rāgāpahārakaḥ

These all arise in due order from the sin of killing a brahmin, or befall one guilty of killing a child as well. A stealer of food becomes a sorcerer; one who steals another's charm or affection becomes mute.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.104.4)

धान्यहार्य्यतिरिक्ताङ्गः पिशुनः पूतिनासिकः । तैलाहारी तैलपायी पूतिवक्त्रस्तु सूचकः

dhānyahāryyatiriktāṅgaḥ piśunaḥ pūtināsikaḥ tailāhārī tailapāyī pūtivaktrastu sūcakaḥ

A stealer of grain is born with extra limbs; a slanderer has a putrid nose; one who wrongly consumes oil is reborn accordingly; and an informer has a putrid mouth.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.104.5)

ब्रह्मस्वं कन्यकां क्रीत्वा वने रक्षो भवेद्वृषः । रत्नहृद्धीनजातः स्यात्पत्रशाकहरः शिखी

brahmasvaṁ kanyakāṁ krītvā vane rakṣo bhavedvṛṣaḥ ratnahṛddhīnajātaḥ syātpatraśākaharaḥ śikhī

One who wrongly takes brahmin-property or buys a maiden improperly becomes a rakshasa or a bull in the forest; a stealer of gems is born into a low family; a stealer of leaf-vegetables becomes a peacock.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.104.6)

गुच्छं चुचुन्दरी हृत्वा धान्यहृन्मूषको भवेत् । फलं कपिः पशून्हृत्वा त्वजा काकः पयस्तथा

gucchaṁ cucundarī hṛtvā dhānyahṛnmūṣako bhavet phalaṁ kapiḥ paśūnhṛtvā tvajā kākaḥ payastathā

One who steals a bunch of flowers becomes a musk-shrew; a stealer of grain becomes a mouse; a stealer of fruit becomes a monkey; one who steals animals becomes a goat; and a stealer of milk becomes a crow;

Verse 7 (garuda.1.104.7)

मांसं गृध्रः पटं श्वित्री चीरीलवणहारकः । यथाकर्म फलं प्राप्य तिर्यक्त्वं कालपर्ययात्

māṁsaṁ gṛdhraḥ paṭaṁ śvitrī cīrīlavaṇahārakaḥ yathākarma phalaṁ prāpya tiryaktvaṁ kālaparyayāt

A stealer of meat becomes a vulture; a stealer of cloth becomes a leper; and a stealer of rags or salt is reborn accordingly. Thus, having obtained the fruit according to their deeds, after the passage of time, out of the state of an animal —

Verse 8 (garuda.1.104.8)

जायन्ते लक्षणभ्रष्टा दरिद्राः पुरुषाधमाः । ततो निष्कलुषीभूता कुले महति योगिनः

jāyante lakṣaṇabhraṣṭā daridrāḥ puruṣādhamāḥ tato niṣkaluṣībhūtā kule mahati yoginaḥ

they are born as men devoid of good features, poor, the lowest of men. Thereafter, having become purified of sin, born as yogis in a great family —

Verse 9 (garuda.1.104.9)

जायन्ते लक्षणोपेता धनधान्यसमन्विताः

jāyante lakṣaṇopetā dhanadhānyasamanvitāḥ

they are born endowed with auspicious features, and possessed of wealth and grain.