Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां व्रतं कुर्वञ्जागरेण समन्वितम् / अपरैः सुकृतैः पूतो न प्रेतो न प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ vrataṃ kurvañjāgareṇa samanvitam / aparaiḥ sukṛtaiḥ pūto na preto na preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

من يصم نذرَ إيكاداشي مقرونًا بالسهر (جاغارا)، ويتطهّر كذلك بسائر الأعمال الصالحة—لا يصير بريتا؛ بل لا يُولد في حال البريتا أصلًا.

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekādaśī
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• व्रतम्: a vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कुर्वन्: doing, performing
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययः), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि (doing)

• जागरेण: with vigil (wakefulness)
• जागरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समन्वितम्: accompanied (by)
• समन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√इ (धातु) + क्त; समन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (endowed/combined)

• अपरैः: by other
• अपरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (other)

• सुकृतैः: by good deeds/merits
• सुकृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पूतः: purified
• पूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त; √पू, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (पुनरुक्ति-बलार्थ)

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ekādaśī fasting with night vigil, supported by other merits, prevents preta-state.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti-supported karma: vrata as a means to chitta-shuddhi and divine protection.

Application: Observe Ekādaśī with fasting (as able) and night vigil (jāgara), adding charity and ethical conduct to strengthen merit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: temple/home-shrine

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Ekadashi-mahatmya style passages (contextual parallel within Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pretas
• Ekadashi

FAQs

What is the importance of Ekadashi vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that observing Ekādaśī with night-vigil, supported by other good deeds, purifies a person so that they do not enter the preta-condition after death.

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

It implies that post-death outcomes are shaped by dharmic practice and accumulated merit: disciplined observance (vrata) and wakeful devotion (jāgaraṇa) help prevent the soul from falling into the intermediate preta-state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep regular vows with sincerity—such as Ekādaśī fasting (as health permits), night prayer/meditation, and consistent ethical conduct—so that one’s life builds purification (sukṛta) rather than confusion and attachment.