Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

उत्तराणि महायोगिंस्त्वद्दर्शनगतांहसः / अहं पर्युषितो नाम्ना एष सूचीमुखः स्मृतः

Transliteration

uttarāṇi mahāyogiṃstvaddarśanagatāṃhasaḥ / ahaṃ paryuṣito nāmnā eṣa sūcīmukhaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

O großer Yogin, ich werde die Antworten geben. Durch deinen Anblick sind meine Sünden verflogen. Ich bin unter dem Namen Paryuṣita bekannt und werde als „Sūcīmukha“ (der Nadelgesichtige) in Erinnerung gehalten.

Word by Word

• उत्तराणि: answers
• उत्तराणि: कर्म/विषय (Object/Topic: answers)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महायोगिन्: O great yogin
• महायोगिन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग, पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (महान् योगी)

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• दर्शन: seeing, sight
• दर्शन: अधिकरण (Locative base in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular) (समासे पूर्वपद)

• गत: gone, reached
• गत: विशेषण (within compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) (समासे मध्यपद)

• अंहसः: of sin
• अंहसः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular) (समासे उत्तरपद)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पर्युषितः: one who stayed/abode (overnight)
• पर्युषितः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + वस् (धातु) + क्त (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: करण (Instrument/means: by name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: कर्ता/निर्देश (Deictic subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सूचीमुखः: Sūcīmukha (needle-faced)
• सूचीमुखः: विधेय (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूची (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (सूची इव मुखं यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्मृतः: is known/called
• स्मृतः: क्रिया (Predicate: is known)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (is called/known)

Speaker

A preta/tormented being named Paryuṣita (also called Sūcīmukha), speaking to a great yogin (the addressed sage in the narrative)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darśana of a great yogin/holy person can catalyze pāpa-kṣaya; confession and truthful self-identification begin purification.

Vedantic Theme: Satsaṅga/mahātma-saṅga as purifier; transformation through contact with realized or disciplined beings.

Application: Seek uplifting company and environments; practice honest self-accounting; approach teachers/elders with humility to break cycles of harmful behavior.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa (named pretas; typologies of suffering linked to specific karmas)

Characters & Entities

• Preta (departed spirit)
• Mahāyogin (great yogin)

FAQs

What is the importance of darśana (seeing a holy person) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the being’s sins are removed simply by the darśana of the great yogin, highlighting the purifying power attributed to contact with realized holiness.

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

It reflects the preta-stage narrative where a departed being identifies himself and indicates karmic burden (aṁhas) that can be reduced through spiritual influence, implying that post-death states remain responsive to merit and purification.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seek uplifting company and cultivate reverence for genuine spiritual discipline; living ethically and approaching the wise with humility is presented as a powerful means to lessen karmic negativity.