Shloka 34
Preta-bhāva: Causes, Remedies, and the Rationale of Post-death Rites
Question-Catalogue
विप्रस्य ब्राह्मणी भार्या संगृही ता यदा भवेत् / तस्मात्पापाच्च भीतो ऽहं तन्मे वद जगत्पते / सर्वमेतन्मया पृष्टो वद लोकहिताय वै
viprasya brāhmaṇī bhāryā saṃgṛhī tā yadā bhavet / tasmātpāpācca bhīto 'haṃ tanme vada jagatpate / sarvametanmayā pṛṣṭo vada lokahitāya vai
Wenn die Gattin eines Brāhmaṇa von einem anderen genommen und festgehalten wird, fürchte ich diese Sünde. Darum, o Herr des Universums, sage es mir. All dies habe ich erfragt—erkläre es zum Wohle der Welt.
Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Sexual misconduct and violation of protected relationships are severe adharma; inquiry is framed as loka-hita (public moral welfare).
Vedantic Theme: Control of kāma as part of dharma leading to inner purification; harm to others intensifies karmic bondage.
Application: Maintain consent, fidelity, and respect for relationships; avoid exploitation; cultivate restraint and seek counsel/atonement when boundaries are violated.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana dharma/prāyaścitta passages on sexual misconduct; Pretakalpa consequences for kāma-related sins.
FAQs
This verse frames a grave adharma—taking another man’s wife—as a serious pāpa whose consequences are relevant to after-death accountability taught in the Preta Kanda.
Garuda’s fear of pāpa signals that actions like violating marital and social dharma have karmic repercussions that are later described in terms of judgment and suffering after death.
Uphold marital fidelity, respect consent and social boundaries, and avoid exploiting others—ethical restraint is presented as a safeguard against severe karmic outcomes.