Shloka 49

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

निरुक्तिमेषां नाम्नां वै प्रेता वदत मा चिरम् / श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / एवमुक्तास्तु विप्रेण पृथगुत्तरमब्रुवन्

Transliteration

niruktimeṣāṃ nāmnāṃ vai pretā vadata mā ciram / śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / evamuktāstu vipreṇa pṛthaguttaramabruvan

Translation

«يا أيها البريتات (Preta)، انطقوا بلا إبطاء باشتقاقات هذه الأسماء (نيروكتي) وبيان معانيها». قال شري كريشنا: فلما خوطبوا بذلك من البراهمن أجابوا، وكلٌّ منهم أدلى بجوابه على حدة.

Word by Word

• निरुक्तिम्: explanation/etymology
• निरुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; Genitive, Plural

• नाम्नाम्: of the names
• नाम्नाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रेताः: the departed spirits (pretas)
• प्रेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वदत: speak/tell
• वदत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Imperative, 2nd person, Plural

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (Negation particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (prohibitive particle, used with imperative)

• चिरम्: for long (time)
• चिरम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular (adverbial use)

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/told
• उक्ताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: then/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोध-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• विप्रेण: by the brahmin
• विप्रेण: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उत्तरम्: answer
• उत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Imperfect, 3rd person, Plural

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (narrative marker: ‘śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca’)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Names and states of pretas are explained as consequences of specific actions; moral causality is to be learned through their self-report.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (the lawful linkage of action and result) within saṃsāra; implicit vairāgya through hearing of consequences.

Application: Treat ritual and ethical duties seriously; reflect on consequences before acting; use śāstra-based inquiry to correct conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: dialogues where pretas narrate causes of their condition (name-as-karma marker)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Vipra (Brahmana)
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘nirukta’ (derivation of names) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a teaching method: key terms about the post-death condition are clarified through their ‘nirukta’, so practitioners understand the technical vocabulary used in rites and afterlife descriptions.

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

Indirectly, it shows that the text proceeds by questioning pretas about specific names/terms—indicating a structured explanation of the preta-condition and related after-death concepts.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use clear definitions of ritual and afterlife terms before performing śrāddha or pinda-dāna; understanding the terminology helps ensure the intent and procedure are carried out correctly.