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Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

मियन्ते चाल्पवयसः सा पीडा पेतसम्भवा / अकस्माद्वृत्तिहरणमप्रतिष्ठा जनेषु वै

Transliteration

miyante cālpavayasaḥ sā pīḍā petasambhavā / akasmādvṛttiharaṇamapratiṣṭhā janeṣu vai

Translation

Aufgrund des Leidens, das aus dem Preta-Zustand entsteht, sterben Menschen sogar in jungen Jahren; es kommt zu plötzlichem Verlust des Lebensunterhalts und mangelndem Respekt in der Gesellschaft.

Word by Word
मियन्तेthey die
मियन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√मि/√मृ (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमानकाल), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
अल्प-वयसःof little age/young
अल्प-वयसः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (अल्पं वयः येषाम्/अल्पवयस्काः)
साthat
सा:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पीडा)
पीडाaffliction
पीडा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन
पेत-सम्भवाarising from a preta
पेत-सम्भवा:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपेत/प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पेतात्/प्रेतात् सम्भवा = arising from a preta)
अकस्मात्suddenly
अकस्मात्:
Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअकस्मात् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘suddenly/without cause’
वृत्ति-हरणम्loss/stealing of livelihood
वृत्ति-हरणम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + हरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वृत्तेः हरणम्)
अप्रतिष्ठाlack of reputation/standing
अप्रतिष्ठा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअ- (निषेध) + प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन
जनेषुamong people
जनेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe misfortunes—early death, sudden loss of means, loss of honor—are presented as effects of preta-related disturbance tied to unresolved post-death obligations.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s multifaceted fruition in saṃsāra; suffering as impetus for corrective dharma and inner detachment.

Application: Respond to cascading misfortunes with practical safeguards (healthcare, financial planning, community support) alongside culturally meaningful rites; avoid fatalism and victim-blaming.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: village/town social sphere

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.9.57: fertility/lineage obstruction as sign; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of pīḍā and their pacification through śrāddha/śānti

Characters & Entities
P
Preta

FAQs

It states that preta-born affliction can manifest as early death, sudden loss of livelihood, and loss of social respect.

The verse frames certain abrupt, destabilizing hardships—like premature death and livelihood disruption—as outcomes linked to the preta-condition, implying karmic and post-death factors affecting embodied life.

Live ethically and responsibly to avoid harmful karmic patterns, and if following tradition, ensure proper last rites and śrāddha observances so the departed is not described as lingering in a preta-like state.

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