Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

महारोगैर्मृता ये च पापरोगैश्च दस्युभिः / असंस्कृतप्रमीता ये विहिताचारवर्जिताः

Transliteration

mahārogairmṛtā ye ca pāparogaiśca dasyubhiḥ / asaṃskṛtapramītā ye vihitācāravarjitāḥ

Translation

الذين يموتون بالأمراض العظيمة، وبعللٍ ناشئةٍ عن الإثم، أو على أيدي اللصوص؛ والذين يموتون دون أن ينالوا السَّمْسْكارا (saṃskāra) المقرَّرة، محرومين من آداب السلوك (ācāra) المفروضة—فهؤلاء هم الموصوفون هنا.

Word by Word

• महा: great
• महा: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् पूर्वपद (indeclinable-like prior member) in compound

• रोगैः: by diseases
• रोगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• 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

• पाप: sinful, evil
• पाप: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; here used as prior member in compound

• रोगैः: by diseases
• रोगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• दस्युभिः: by robbers/bandits
• दस्युभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अ: un-, not
• अ: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ- (निषेध-उपसर्ग)
• Form: निषेधार्थक उपसर्ग (negative prefix) used in compound

• संस्कृत: purified, consecrated; having rites performed
• संस्कृत: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; here as prior member in compound

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

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

• विहित: prescribed, enjoined
• विहित: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; here as prior member in compound

• आचार: conduct, practice
• आचार: Karma (Object/कर्म) (as qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; here as prior member in compound

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃskāra and vihitācāra (prescribed sacraments and conduct) support an auspicious life-course and death; their absence is spiritually perilous.

Vedantic Theme: Outer dharma supports inner purification (citta-śuddhi), enabling steadier remembrance and better gati; neglect strengthens karmic bondage.

Application: Maintain life-cycle sacraments where culturally relevant; live with ethical discipline; prepare wills/rites; support vulnerable people against violence and deprivation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śrāddha/antyeṣṭi sections stressing saṃskāra and proper conduct; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta conditions arising from irregular death and ritual neglect

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Robbers (Dasyu)
• Saṃskāras

FAQs

What is the importance of saṃskāras (sacraments) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse groups “those who die without saṃskāras” among difficult/inauspicious death conditions, implying that prescribed rites and disciplined conduct are considered protective supports for a dharmic transition after death.

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

By classifying certain deaths—severe illness, karmically-tainted disease, violent death by robbers, and death without rites—as spiritually problematic, the text sets up why some souls face greater hardship and disturbance in the post-death (preta) condition described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with vihita-ācāra (ethical discipline), take traditional life-cycle rites seriously where applicable, and ensure proper end-of-life and post-death observances are arranged—while also caring for the sick and vulnerable to reduce harm and fear at death.