Shloka 41

Svapnādhāya (Dream-Chapter): Causes, Forms, Nourishment, and Liberation of Pretas

Devanagari script

शीघ्रं गच्छति विप्रेण याचितः क्षुधितेन वै / एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य नाम पर्युषितं मम

Transliteration

śīghraṃ gacchati vipreṇa yācitaḥ kṣudhitena vai / etatkāraṇamuddiśya nāma paryuṣitaṃ mama

Translation

When a hungry one requests it through a brāhmaṇa, the offering reaches swiftly indeed. For this very reason, my name is “Paryuṣita,” the one connected with a delay of a single night.

Word by Word

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विप्रेण: by a Brahmin
• विप्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• याचितः: (when) requested
• याचितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याच् (धातु) → याचित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP) — ‘having been requested’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अहं/सः) इत्यध्याहार्य-कर्तृसामानाधिकरण

• क्षुधितेन: by a hungry (one)
• क्षुधितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्षुध्-धातोः)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विप्रेण इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• एतत्कारणम्: this reason
• एतत्कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘एतत् कारणम्’ = ‘this reason’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: with reference to / indicating
• उद्दिश्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्+दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): ‘having indicated/with reference to’

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) — ‘by name’

• पर्युषितम्: ‘Paryuṣita’ (the name)
• पर्युषितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि+उष् (धातु) → पर्युषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकस्य नामरूपेण प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नामधेयम्)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

A messenger/agent of Yama (contextually the preta’s condition is being explained in dialogue to Garuda by Lord Vishnu)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karmic results ‘reach’ swiftly when mediated by proper channel and genuine need; yet the giver’s fault (paryuṣita) brands the identity.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as precise and context-sensitive; dharma as the channel that shapes fruition.

Application: Respond quickly to genuine need; ensure offerings are appropriate and timely, not delayed or degraded.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: upadesha (explanatory teaching)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śrāddha/dāna efficacy through brāhmaṇa mediation and proper intention (nearby Pretakalpa teachings)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of giving śrāddha offerings promptly in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses urgency: when the hungry departed requests through a brāhmaṇa, the offering is said to reach swiftly, so delaying food-gifts is discouraged.

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

It implies the preta’s post-death state includes dependence and hunger, and that ritual channels (a brāhmaṇa as mediator) are described as enabling quick transmission of offerings to the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/pinda-dāna without unnecessary delay, feed the needy (especially in a ritual context), and treat requests for food/aid as time-sensitive acts of dharma.