Shloka 17

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

सूचीक्रककचकव्रातघातपातितकीकसान् / वसाक्तनवमस्तिष्कस्वादनित्यमहोत्सवान्

Transliteration

sūcīkrakakacakavrātaghātapātitakīkasān / vasāktanavamastiṣkasvādanityamahotsavān

Translation

Sie werden von Schwärmen nadelspitzer Schnäbel niedergeschlagen und zu bloßen Gerippen gemacht; mit Fett beschmiert, zwingt man sie zu einem „ständigen Fest“ des Kostens frischer Gehirne—eine Qual ohne Ende.

Word by Word

• सूची-क्रक-कचक-व्रात-घात-पातित-कीकसान्: (those) whose bones were knocked down by blows from swarms of needle-like insects
• सूची-क्रक-कचक-व्रात-घात-पातित-कीकसान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूची + क्रक + कचक + व्रात + घात + पातित + कीकस (प्रातिपदिक; पातित = √पत्/√पात् (धातु) णिच्/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (‘सूची-क्रक-कचक-व्रातस्य घातेन पातिताः कीकसाः/कीकसयुक्ताः’), कर्म

• वसाक्त-नव-मस्तिष्क-स्वाद-नित्य-महोत्सवान्: for whom tasting fresh brains smeared with fat was a constant festival
• वसाक्त-नव-मस्तिष्क-स्वाद-नित्य-महोत्सवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसा + आक्त + नव + मस्तिष्क + स्वाद + नित्य + महोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक; आक्त = √अञ्ज् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (‘वसया आक्तं नवमस्तिष्कं स्वादः यस्य नित्यः महोत्सवः’), कर्म

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic retribution can be repetitive and self-renewing; the sinner’s experience becomes an ‘endless ritual’ of pain mirroring prior cruelty/violence.

Vedantic Theme: Duḥkha as the fruit of avidyā-driven action; impetus toward vairāgya and dharma.

Application: Renounce हिंसा and predatory habits; cultivate compassion and self-control; adopt dharmic livelihood and seek prāyaścitta for grave harms.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: punishment field

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring punishments with animals/birds tearing flesh (general motif); Garuda Purana: naraka catalogues with cyclical suffering (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of karmic punishment descriptions in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses vivid imagery to stress that harmful, adharmic actions have precise consequences, encouraging restraint, compassion, and adherence to dharma.

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

It depicts the preta’s experience of suffering in Yama’s domains as a result of past deeds, implying that the post-death journey includes accountability before relief through merit and rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid cruelty and exploitation, cultivate sattvic conduct, and support dharmic death-rites (śrāddha/pinda-dāna) for ancestors as acts of responsibility and compassion.