Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 15
Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna
व्रतं निरशन कृत्वा स्वगृहे ऽपि मृतो यदि / स्वकुलानि परित्यज्य एकाकी विचरेद्दिवि
vrataṃ niraśana kṛtvā svagṛhe 'pi mṛto yadi / svakulāni parityajya ekākī vicareddivi
Wenn jemand das Gelübde des Fastens vollzogen hat und dann stirbt—selbst im eigenen Haus—lässt er seine Familienlinien zurück und wandert allein in der jenseitigen Welt umher.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Dying after undertaking nir-āśana-vrata may result in solitary post-mortem wandering, detached from one’s kula-lines.
Vedantic Theme: Asakti (detachment) can manifest as radical aloneness; warns that ritual/austerity without proper completion/context may yield ambiguous gati.
Application: Undertake vows with guidance, clarity of intent, and appropriate completion/transition rites; balance austerity with devotion and right understanding.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: domestic space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nuanced fruits of vrata and death-context; some acts yield intermediate states rather than immediate liberation
FAQs
This verse warns that a vow like fasting must be undertaken with proper intent and completion; otherwise, its karmic outcome can be isolation and instability in the post-death state.
It depicts a post-death condition where the deceased becomes separated from familial support and lineage ties, moving through the other world alone—an image of a precarious preta-like wandering.
Undertake religious vows responsibly—avoid extreme or careless observances, follow tradition/health constraints, and complete or formally conclude vows rather than leaving them unresolved.