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Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

भर्तृहीना च या नारी परवीर्यं निषेवते / बीजं मूत्रसमायुर्क्त प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्तु वै

Transliteration

bhartṛhīnā ca yā nārī paravīryaṃ niṣevate / bījaṃ mūtrasamāyurkta pretā bhuñjanti tattu vai

Translation

Eine Frau, die ohne Gatten ist und sich der Saat eines anderen Mannes hingibt—der Same ihrer Nachkommenschaft, mit Urin vermischt, ist wahrlich der Anteil, den die Pretas verzehren.

Word by Word
भर्तृ-हीनाwithout a husband
भर्तृ-हीना:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootभर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (भर्तृविहीना)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक निपात
याwho (a woman)
या:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
नारीwoman
नारी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनारी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
पर-वीर्यम्another man’s semen/virility
पर-वीर्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन
निषेवतेresorts to/engages in
निषेवते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनि + सेव् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
बीजम्seed (semen)
बीजम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootबीज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
मूत्र-समायुक्तम्mixed with urine
मूत्र-समायुक्तम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम् + युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) अर्थे ‘मूत्रेण समायुक्तम्’
प्रेताःpretas
प्रेताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
भुञ्जन्तिeat
भुञ्जन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु)
Formलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ सर्वनाम (demonstrative)
तुindeed/but
तु:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक निपात
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Illicit sexual relations and lineage-confusion (varṇa/putra-saṃbandha disorder) are portrayed as generating extreme impurity and preta-affinity.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma in kāma leads to papa and degradation; bodily impurity imagery underscores the binding power of tamas.

Application: Uphold marital fidelity and responsible sexuality; protect family stability and ethical boundaries to avoid harm, stigma, and karmic fallout.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/sexual-social sphere

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.22: escalating bibhatsa imagery of preta-bhojana tied to adharma

Characters & Entities
P
Pretas

FAQs

This verse links a specific adharma (improper sexual conduct) with a preta-related consequence, emphasizing that actions shape one’s post-death experience and the quality of offerings/portions connected to one’s lineage.

Within the Preta Kanda’s framework, the soul can become a preta and undergo distressing states; the verse portrays that certain sins result in degrading, impure ‘consumption’ experiences for pretas as part of karmic retribution.

It underscores living by ethical restraint (dharma) in relationships and respecting social and familial responsibilities, since the text frames such conduct as affecting both personal karma and post-death outcomes.

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