Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

अकस्माद्गहदाहः स्यात्सा पीडा प्रेतसम्भवा / स्वगेहे कलहो नित्यं स्याच्च मिथ्याभिशंसनप

Transliteration

akasmādgahadāhaḥ syātsā pīḍā pretasambhavā / svagehe kalaho nityaṃ syācca mithyābhiśaṃsanapa

Translation

Wenn ein Haus plötzlich Feuer fängt, so entsteht dieses Leid durch den Einfluss eines Preta. Im eigenen Heim wird es ständigen Streit geben, sowie falsche Anschuldigungen und Verleumdungen.

Word by Word

• अकस्मात्: suddenly
• अकस्मात्: Adhikarana (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अकस्मात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = suddenly

• गह-दाहः: burning in a pit/cave (sudden burning)
• गह-दाहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गह (प्रातिपदिक) + दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gaha-‘pit/cave’ + dāha ‘burning’)

• स्यात्: may occur / would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• सा: that (she/that)
• सा: Visheshya (Correlative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पीडा: affliction, pain
• पीडा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रेत-सम्भवा: arising from a preta (spirit)
• प्रेत-सम्भवा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष = ‘arising from a preta’

• स्व-गेहे: in one’s own house
• स्व-गेहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘one’s own house’

• कलहः: quarrel
• कलहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = always/constantly

• स्यात्: may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = and

• मिथ्या-अभिशंसनम्: false accusation
• मिथ्या-अभिशंसनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथ्या (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अभिशंसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘false accusation/slander’

• अप: (textual fragment/particle)
• अप: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात); पाठभ्रंश/अपूर्णपद (likely ‘अपि’ or vocative particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Preta-doṣa manifests as sudden misfortune and social discord; unseen karmic residues can surface as tangible suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāsa of fear and suffering upon nāma-rūpa; karma as the operative law within vyavahāra.

Application: When repeated, causeless calamities and false accusations arise, seek śānti: consult learned priests, perform preta-śānti/śrāddha, maintain satya-vāk and household harmony.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/dwelling

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa 2.9 (preta-lakṣaṇa/upiḍā lists continuing in 2.9.60–63)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of preta-related afflictions in Garuda Purana?

This verse treats sudden calamities (like unexpected house-fire) and persistent domestic discord as indicators of preta-sambhava pīḍā—affliction linked to unsettled departed spirits—highlighting why post-death rites and pacification are emphasized.

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

By implying that a preta (an unsettled post-death condition) can impact the living, the verse aligns with the Preta Kanda theme: until proper rites and karmic resolution occur, the departed may remain in a troubled state rather than progressing peacefully onward.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain harmony and truthfulness at home, avoid slander, and if bereavement-related unrest is felt, follow appropriate śrāddha/antyeṣṭi traditions and seek ethical, community-supported ways to restore peace rather than escalating blame.