Garuda said, “ Heavenly enjoyment, worldly pleasure, strength, health, and bravery are acquired by men on the strength of their pious activities. These are the gifts awarded to virtuous persons. Virtue triumphs, not evil . Truth triumphs, not falsehood. Forgiveness is victorious, not anger. Lord Vishnu conquers, not the demons.”
“I have understood that everything auspicious results from virtue. When our pious credits are at the peak , we become devoted to Lord Krishna. O Lord, I now want to know— by what actions do persons attain sinful births?
Lord Krishna said, “O Garuda, listen carefully as I explain how men derive their particular traits from their previous activities. After being punished in hell, sinful persons again attain a human birth with the characteristic traits of their sins. In other words, sinful men who were punished in hell, after once again attaining a human birth on earth, are marked with
characteristic signs of their past sins. ”
“One who was a habitual liar is born with a speech defect so that he stammers, or perhaps he is born dumb. One who had killed a brahmana is born as a leper, or with tuberculosis. A drunkard is born as a person with black teeth. One who had stolen gold has bad nails. One who had intimate relations with
his preceptor’s wife has a skin disease. One who had associated with sinful people is born in a low family. ”
“One who took meals at another’s house as an uninvited guest is born as a crow. A brahmana who performed sacrifices for low-class people is born as a village pig. One who had performed many such sacrifices is born as a donkey. One who had eaten indiscriminately becomes a tiger in the jungle. One
who had scolded others without cause becomes a cat. One who imparts knowledge to undeserving people becomes a bull. One who offered stale food to a brahmana becomes a hunchback. One who was malicious to others is born blind, and a book thief is also born blind. One who habitually stole fruit is born as a monkey.”
“One who accepted food that was offered unwillingly is born impotent. One who was averse to self-realization is born as a stupid businessman. A thief of gold may be born as an alligator. One who had poisoned others becomes a snake. One who had sex with an ascetic woman becomes a ghost. One who stole water becomes a chataka bird . One who stole chickpeas becomes a mouse.”
“One who raped an immature girl becomes a serpent. One who coveted his preceptor’s wife becomes a lizard. One who interfered with the flow of water becomes a fish. One who deceived a woman becomes an owl. One who did not make a promised donation to a brahmana becomes a jackal. One who had blasphemed brahmanas becomes a tortoise. One who maintained himself by worshipping deities becomes a chandala.”
“One who kept a shudra woman becomes a bull. One who kicked the sacred fire becomes a cat. One who indulged in sex at an improper time becomes a eunuch. One who had stolen perfume becomes a person with a foul odour.”
“O Garuda, these are the signs whereby a person’s past sins can be ascertained.”
