Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा भूपतिनापि सः / उद्धृतः प्रेतभावाद्वै किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि

Transliteration

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yathā bhūpatināpi saḥ / uddhṛtaḥ pretabhāvādvai kimanyacchrotumicchasi

Translation

All dies ist dir vollständig dargelegt worden—wie sogar jener König wahrhaft aus dem Zustand eines Preta erlöst wurde. Was möchtest du noch hören?

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन (singular)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• आख्यातम्: has been explained
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति लुप्त (elliptic ‘has been told’)

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (manner/comparison)

• भूपतिना: by the king
• भूपतिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• उद्धृतः: was rescued, lifted out
• उद्धृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति लुप्त

• प्रेतभावात्: from the state of being a preta
• प्रेतभावात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत-भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रेतस्य भावः); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भाव-शब्दः नपुंसकः), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक (emphatic particle)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• अन्यत्: other, else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), श्रवणार्थे (to hear)

• इच्छसि: you desire
• इच्छसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Instruction (śravaṇa) and right rites/merit can lift a being from preta-state; the discourse invites further dharmic inquiry.

Vedantic Theme: Bandha–moksha through karma and knowledge; the value of śāstra-śravaṇa as a purifier.

Application: Treat teachings on death-rites and devotion as actionable guidance; ask precise questions and complete prescribed duties for the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: narratives of pretatva and its nivṛtti; transition into śrāddha-adhyāyas; Garuda Purana: dialogue structure Garuḍa–Bhagavān recurring at chapter seams

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Bhupati (king)

FAQs

What is the importance of the preta-bhāva (preta state) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that the text’s purpose is practical and doctrinal: it explains how a departed being can be freed from preta-bhāva, emphasizing that release from post-death unrest is a central concern of the Preta Kanda.

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

In context, it functions as a concluding marker: Vishnu indicates that the narrative has already shown the transition from preta condition to rescue, implying that post-death states are changeable through prescribed causes (dharma/rites/merit) rather than fixed despair.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to complete duties for the departed with sincerity and to live ethically so one avoids conditions of unrest after death; it also encourages seeking clear scriptural guidance rather than anxiety or speculation.