Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 12

Svapnādhāya (Dream-Chapter): Causes, Forms, Nourishment, and Liberation of Pretas

Devanagari script

अन्तरिक्षे मृता ये च विष्णुस्मरणवर्जिताः / सूतकैः श्वादिसंपर्कैः प्रेतभावा इह क्षितौ

Transliteration

antarikṣe mṛtā ye ca viṣṇusmaraṇavarjitāḥ / sūtakaiḥ śvādisaṃparkaiḥ pretabhāvā iha kṣitau

Translation

الذين يموتون في الفضاء بين السماء والأرض (موتًا غير طبيعي) دون ذكر فيشنو (Viṣṇu)؛ وبسبب أحوال النجاسة (sūtaka) ومخالطة الكلاب وما شابهها—يبقون هنا على الأرض في حال البريتا (preta) الهائمين.

Word by Word

• अन्तरिक्षे: in the mid-air/sky
• अन्तरिक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• मृताः: dead
• मृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• विष्णु: Viṣṇu
• विष्णु: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; here as prior member in compound

• स्मरण: remembrance
• स्मरण: Karma (Object/कर्म) (as qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; here as prior member in compound

• वर्जिताः: devoid of, lacking
• वर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• सूतकैः: by impurity (birth/death pollution)
• सूतकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• श्व: dog
• श्व: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; here as prior member in compound

• आदि: and the like
• आदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: आद्यार्थक अव्यय (etc.) used in compound

• संपर्कैः: by contact/association
• संपर्कैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• प्रेत: departed spirit, preta
• प्रेत: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; here as prior member in compound

• भावाः: states/conditions; (here) become
• भावाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• क्षितौ: on earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death period under sūtaka; remedial rites typically undertaken soon after for preta-release (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu-smaraṇa at death is a decisive stabilizer of consciousness and gati; impurity states and degrading contacts can bind the jīva to preta-bhāva.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-vṛtti at the time of death influences the next state; nāma/smaraṇa aligns the mind with the Supreme, loosening karmic knots and fear.

Application: Cultivate daily Viṣṇu-nāma and remembrance so it arises naturally at death; maintain ritual cleanliness around death/impurity periods; perform remedial rites for those who died in distress.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: liminal space (mid-air) and terrestrial plane

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta-bhāva causes and remedies; emphasis on Viṣṇu remembrance; Garuda Purana: śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna as means to release pretas

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu-smarana (remembering Vishnu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that dying without Vishnu’s remembrance is linked with remaining in a preta-like condition, implying that sacred remembrance at death supports a smoother post-death transition.

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

It indicates that certain deaths described as occurring “in mid-air” (sudden/unnatural) combined with impurity and degrading contacts can result in the being lingering on earth as a preta rather than moving onward in the afterlife journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular spiritual remembrance (nāma-smaraṇa), and observe traditional mourning/purity disciplines and prescribed rites so the departed is supported and the living avoid ritual disorder.