Shloka 27

Preta-Mokṣa Upāya: Svapna-Lakṣaṇa, Pitṛ-Doṣa, and Prescribed Rites

Kṛṣṇa-bali & Nārāyaṇa-bali

Devanagari script

कृत्वा कृष्णबलिं पूर्वं वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः क्रियाः / सर्वोपद्रवहीनस्तु सर्वसौख्यमवाप्नुयात् / उत्तमं लोकमाप्नोति ज्ञातिप्राधान्यमेव च

Transliteration

kṛtvā kṛṣṇabaliṃ pūrvaṃ vṛṣotsargādikāḥ kriyāḥ / sarvopadravahīnastu sarvasaukhyamavāpnuyāt / uttamaṃ lokamāpnoti jñātiprādhānyameva ca

Translation

Wer zuerst das Opfer darbringt, das Kṛṣṇa-bali genannt wird, und danach die Riten vollzieht, beginnend mit der Freilassung des Stieres (vṛṣotsarga) und den verwandten Zeremonien, wird frei von allen Heimsuchungen und erlangt jede Art von Glück. Er erreicht eine erhabene Welt (eine höhere Sphäre) und gewinnt zudem Ansehen und Vorrang unter seinen Verwandten.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (पूर्वकर्म/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: कृ; अर्थे: पूर्वकर्म (having done)

• कृष्णबलिम्: offering to Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णबलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य बलिः)

• पूर्वम्: first, beforehand
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः: such as the bull-release (rite) etc.
• वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘क्रियाः’ इति; समासः (वृषोत्सर्गः + आदि) तत्पुरुष-प्रायः, ‘-आदिक’ प्रत्ययार्थः (etc.)

• क्रियाः: rites, actions
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (of implied performance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• सर्वोपद्रवहीनः: free from all troubles
• सर्वोपद्रवहीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्ता-सम्बन्धि); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् उपद्रवानाम् हीनः)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• सर्वसौख्यम्: all happiness
• सर्वसौख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वं सौख्यम्)

• अवाप्नुयात्: may obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: आप्; उपसर्ग: अव-

• उत्तमम्: highest, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘लोकम्’

• लोकम्: world, realm
• लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: आप्

• ज्ञातिप्राधान्यम्: pre-eminence among relatives
• ज्ञातिप्राधान्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राधान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञातीनां प्राधान्यम्)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After preliminary kṛṣṇa-bali; in conjunction with vṛṣotsarga and allied śānti rites (as prescribed).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya/naimittika rites performed in proper order remove upadravas and generate puṇya leading to sukha, higher loka, and familial esteem.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purificatory and loka-sādhana; dharma as a means to citta-śuddhi and favorable gati (without claiming it as ultimate mokṣa-cause).

Application: Perform prescribed ancestral/propitiatory rites with correct sequence and intention; treat ritual as both social-ethical duty and spiritual hygiene.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-prakaraṇa passages on śrāddha-phala and upadrava-śānti; Garuda Purana sections describing vṛṣotsarga and bali as pitṛ-prīṇana

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Kṛṣṇa-bali
• Vṛṣotsarga
• Jñātis (relatives/kinsmen)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kṛṣṇa-bali and vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that performing Kṛṣṇa-bali first, followed by vṛṣotsarga and related rites, removes afflictions and yields comprehensive well-being, indicating these are considered high-merit observances within the Preta Kanda’s ritual framework.

How does this verse explain the soul’s path or post-death outcome?

Rather than detailing punishments or Yama’s routes, the verse links correct ritual performance to an auspicious post-mortem result—attaining an “excellent world” (uttama loka)—implying elevation of destiny through prescribed rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes orderly, tradition-based observance of family death rites (as taught in the text): perform key offerings in the proper sequence and with sincerity, aiming at welfare (śānti), reduced distress, and familial harmony.