Shloka 16

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

सूचितं सर आगत्य साश्व एव व्यगाहत / पद्मानाञ्च परागेण उत्पलानां रजेन च

Transliteration

sūcitaṃ sara āgatya sāśva eva vyagāhata / padmānāñca parāgeṇa utpalānāṃ rajena ca

Translation

Als er den gewiesenen See erreichte, tauchte er sogleich mitsamt seinem Pferd hinein und wurde vom Blütenstaub der Lotosblumen und vom feinen Staub der blauen Lotos (utpala) bedeckt.

Word by Word

• सूचितम्: indicated, shown
• सूचितम्: Karma/Descriptor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूचित (√सूच् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्तान्त; (सरः) विशेषण—'indicated/pointed out'

• सरः: lake, pond
• सरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Purvakala (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+√गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (gerund)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• साश्वः: with (his) horse
• साश्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सह) (उपसर्गार्थ) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सह अश्वेन)

• एव: just, indeed
• एव: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive particle)

• व्यगाहत: he entered/plunged into
• व्यगाहत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+आ+√गाह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पद्मानाम्: of lotuses
• पद्मानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परागेण: with pollen
• परागेण: Karana (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• उत्पलानाम्: of water-lilies
• उत्पलानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• रजेन: with dust/pollen
• रजेन: Karana (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contact with purity (śuddha-jala, padma) restores and reorients; actions have immediate experiential fruits.

Vedantic Theme: Śuddhi (purification) as a support for clarity; outer cleansing mirrors inner settling.

Application: Use cleansing practices (bathing, mindful reset) to break cycles of agitation and restore composure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: lake (saras) with lotuses

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent use of tīrtha/snana motifs as purificatory supports (general)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the lake imagery in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses a clearly indicated lake and lotus-pollen imagery to convey a moment of transition and cleansing on the journey, suggesting a marked stage where the traveler becomes ‘stained’ or ‘marked’ by the environment of the path.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Within the Preta Kanda’s travel-narrative style, it depicts the traveler reaching a specified waypoint (the lake) and immediately entering it—showing that the after-death route is presented as sequential, with indicated stations and experiences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat life as a staged journey: follow right guidance (sūcitam), act promptly in duties (eva), and keep conduct pure—supporting traditional śrāddha/ritual discipline and ethical living aligned with dharma.