Shloka 15
Entry into Yama’s Abode; Nature, Causes, and Signs of the Preta-State
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / स्वकुलं पीडयेत्पेतः परच्छिद्रेण पीडयेत् / जीवन्स दृश्यते स्नेही मृतो दुष्टत्वमाप्नुयात्
śrīviṣṇuruvāca / svakulaṃ pīḍayetpetaḥ paracchidreṇa pīḍayet / jīvansa dṛśyate snehī mṛto duṣṭatvamāpnuyāt
Śrī Viṣṇu said: A preta torments its own family, and torments them through the weaknesses (faults) of others. While alive, such a person is seen as affectionate; but after death, he attains a cruel, harmful nature.
Lord Vishnu
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Latent defects and unresolved karmic tendencies can manifest as preta-torment, harming one’s own kin and exploiting others’ vulnerabilities.
Vedantic Theme: Vasana and adharma as seeds that fructify beyond death; the subtle continuity of character (samskara) shaping post-mortem condition.
Application: Do not judge virtue by outward affection alone; cultivate inner purity, truthfulness, and dharmic restraint; address harmful tendencies and reconcile duties to family to prevent post-death unrest.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: household/family sphere
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of pretas troubling households and the role of improper rites/attachments; Garuda Purana passages on how unresolved desires/anger bind the jiva after death
FAQs
This verse shows that the preta-state can manifest as affliction to one’s own family, indicating unresolved karmic tendencies that become harmful after death and are addressed through dharmic conduct and proper post-death rites.
It highlights a transitional condition where a departed being (preta) may not move peacefully onward, instead acting through vulnerabilities and causing distress—implying that inner character and karma shape post-death experience.
Cultivate genuine integrity (not merely outward affection), reduce harmful tendencies, and follow ethical living and appropriate śrāddha-related duties so that one’s passing does not become a cause of suffering for family members.