Shloka 17

Entry into Yama’s Abode; Nature, Causes, and Signs of the Preta-State

Devanagari script

सर्वक्रियापरिभ्रष्टो नास्तिको धर्मनिन्दकः / असत्यवादनिरतो नरः प्रेतैः स पीड्यते / कलौ प्रेतत्वमाप्नोति तार्क्ष्याशुद्धक्रियापरः

Transliteration

sarvakriyāparibhraṣṭo nāstiko dharmanindakaḥ / asatyavādanirato naraḥ pretaiḥ sa pīḍyate / kalau pretatvamāpnoti tārkṣyāśuddhakriyāparaḥ

Translation

A man who has fallen away from all sacred duties—an unbeliever who reviles dharma and is devoted to false speech—is tormented by pretas. O Tārkṣya (Garuda), in the Kali age, one who persists in impure and improper rites attains the state of a preta.

Word by Word

• सर्वक्रियापरिभ्रष्टः: fallen from all rites/actions
• सर्वक्रियापरिभ्रष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + परिभ्रष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वासु क्रियासु परिभ्रष्टः = all rites/actions fallen away from)

• नास्तिकः: an atheist / unbeliever
• नास्तिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• धर्मनिन्दकः: slanderer of dharma
• धर्मनिन्दकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + निन्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य निन्दकः)

• असत्यवादनिरतः: engaged in false speech
• असत्यवादनिरतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाद (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (असत्यवादे निरतः)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रेतैः: by pretas
• प्रेतैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृवाचक-तृतीया

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पीड्यते: is afflicted
• पीड्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• प्रेतत्वम्: pretahood
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• तार्क्ष्य: of Tārkṣya (Garuda)
• तार्क्ष्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; गरुड-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; समासे पूर्वपदम्

• अशुद्धक्रियापरः: devoted to impure rites
• अशुद्धक्रियापरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (अशुद्धासु क्रियासु परः/आसक्तः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Tārkṣya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Neglect of sacred duties, atheism (nastika), dharma-reviling, and habitual false speech lead to preta-affliction; impure ritualism in Kali-yuga culminates in preta-state.

Vedantic Theme: Tamas and rajas dominate when dharma is rejected; adharma and asatya bind the jiva to lower post-mortem conditions.

Application: Re-establish nitya/naimittika duties, avoid dharma-cynicism, practice truthfulness, and ensure rites are performed with purity and proper intention rather than superstition or negligence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of sins/adharma leading to preta-yoni and spirit-affliction; Garuda Purana: critiques of ashuddha-kriya and improper funeral/ancestral observances as causes of post-death unrest

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Tārkṣya)
• Pretas
• Kali Yuga

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'preta' state in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames preta-hood as a consequence of severe ethical and ritual deviation—reviling dharma, denying sacred order, and habitual lying—leading to torment by pretas and even becoming a preta in Kali-yuga when one persists in impure rites.

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

It indicates that moral conduct (truthfulness, respect for dharma) and proper ritual observance affect post-death condition: a person may suffer harassment by pretas, and in Kali-yuga sustained aśuddha-kriyā can culminate in a preta-like, restless post-mortem state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate satya (truthfulness), avoid dharma-nindā (deriding sacred ethics), and perform life-cycle and death-related rites with sincerity and purity—seeking competent guidance—so actions align with dharma rather than careless or impure practice.