Shloka 43

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

प्रेतयोनिविनाशाय भवन्तीति मया श्रुतम् / अतो वक्ष्यामि ते विष्णुपूजां प्रेतत्वनाशिनीम्

Transliteration

pretayonivināśāya bhavantīti mayā śrutam / ato vakṣyāmi te viṣṇupūjāṃ pretatvanāśinīm

Translation

Ich habe gehört, dass diese Riten den Zustand, als Preta geboren zu werden, vernichten. Darum werde ich dir nun die Verehrung des Herrn Viṣṇu darlegen, die das Preta-Sein aufhebt.

Word by Word

• प्रेतयोनिविनाशाय: for the destruction of preta-birth/state
• प्रेतयोनिविनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + योनि + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of destruction)

• भवन्ति: they are / they become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; वाक्ये ‘मया श्रुतम्’ = ‘I have heard’

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/निष्कर्षवाचक अव्यय (therefore)

• वक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विष्णुपूजाम्: worship of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुपूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रेतत्वनाशिनीम्: destroying pretahood
• प्रेतत्वनाशिनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेतत्व + नाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणं ‘विष्णुपूजाम्’ प्रति

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic bondage can manifest as preta-yoni; devotional practice to Viṣṇu functions as a purifying counter-force that dissolves the condition.

Vedantic Theme: Grace (anugraha) mediated through bhakti as a purifier of karmic residues; movement from saṃsāric affliction toward auspicious rebirth or liberation-supporting clarity.

Application: Adopt Viṣṇu worship (pūjā, nāma, offerings) as a focused remedial sādhana, especially when addressing ancestral/post-death concerns.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta-yoni causes and remedies through mantra, pūjā, and śrāddha-related supports; Garuda Purana: repeated claim that Viṣṇu-smaraṇa/pūjā mitigates papa and fear in afterlife passages

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu worship for a preta in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Viṣṇu-pūjā as a direct remedy that destroys ‘pretatva’ (preta-hood), implying it restores spiritual order and aids the departed being’s onward journey.

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

It indicates that certain post-death conditions can lead to a preta-like state, and that prescribed worship/rites—especially centered on Viṣṇu—are taught as corrective means to help the being move beyond that condition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform remembrance and devotional worship with ethical living and sincere prayer (especially Viṣṇu-nāma and pūjā) alongside appropriate śrāddha practices, aiming for peace and upliftment of the departed.