Shloka 32
Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction
कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणास्ते प्राणिनः स्वकृतैरिह / दुर्लभाहारपानीया दृश्यन्ते पीडिता भृशम्
karmabhirbhrāmyamāṇāste prāṇinaḥ svakṛtairiha / durlabhāhārapānīyā dṛśyante pīḍitā bhṛśam
Von ihren eigenen, selbst geschaffenen Taten umhergetrieben und hin- und hergeworfen, erscheinen diese Wesen hier schwer gepeinigt—selbst Nahrung und Trinkwasser sind kaum zu erlangen.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Beings are propelled by their own actions; suffering manifests as deprivation (rare food and water) and intense distress.
Vedantic Theme: Svākṛta-karma binds the jīva; saṃsāra is self-forged; compassion arises from seeing karma’s inevitability.
Application: Live with restraint and generosity to avoid future deprivation; cultivate compassion and perform supportive rites/charity for the vulnerable and deceased.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: suffering landscape where pretas wander
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated motif of hunger/thirst of pretas relieved by piṇḍa and udaka offerings (theme-parallel)
FAQs
It states that beings are compelled to wander and suffer specifically because of their own deeds; karma itself becomes the force that drives their condition.
In the Preta Kanda context, the departed is portrayed as roaming under the momentum of past actions, experiencing hardship so severe that even basic necessities like food and water are difficult to obtain.
Live ethically and cultivate charity and self-restraint, since one’s own actions shape future experience; also, support righteous rites and generosity that reduce suffering for oneself and others.