Shloka 13
Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction
मृगस्य कस्यचित्कुक्षिं ततो विव्याध भूमिपः / राजा मृगप्रसङ्गेन तमनु प्राविशद्वनम्
mṛgasya kasyacitkukṣiṃ tato vivyādha bhūmipaḥ / rājā mṛgaprasaṅgena tamanu prāviśadvanam
Daraufhin traf der König den Bauch eines bestimmten Hirsches. Vom Eifer der Verfolgung ergriffen, folgte der König ihm und drang in den Wald ein.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Prasaṅga (entanglement) with an object of pursuit intensifies bondage; a single act (wounding) can propel a chain of consequences.
Vedantic Theme: Saṅkalpa → karma → vāsanā reinforcement; the mind follows its object and loses svātantrya (inner freedom).
Application: Interrupt compulsive loops early; after causing harm, stop escalation and choose repair over chase.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: deep forest
Related Themes: Garuda Purana moral causality: small initial papa leading to larger downfall is a recurring narrative logic (thematic)
FAQs
This verse shows how a moment of fixation—here, the deer-chase—pulls a ruler away from discernment and duty, setting the stage for karmic consequences described later in the narrative.
Indirectly: it introduces the causal chain (action and impulse) that later determines suffering or progress after death; the Garuda Purana repeatedly frames afterlife outcomes as rooted in choices made while living.
Maintain self-restraint when emotions or pursuits escalate; pause before acting from obsession, because small lapses in judgment can lead to larger harm and long-term consequences.