Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

बृहच्छरीरिणो रौद्रा जाताः स्वेनैव कर्मणा / एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं प्रेतत्वे कारणं मया

Transliteration

bṛhaccharīriṇo raudrā jātāḥ svenaiva karmaṇā / etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ pretatve kāraṇaṃ mayā

Translation

Those who possess a grossly enlarged body and a fierce nature become so solely through their own actions. Thus, I have explained to you in full the cause of becoming a preta.

Word by Word

• बृहच्छरीरिणः: large-bodied
• बृहच्छरीरिणः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: बृहत् शरीरं येषां ते (those having large bodies)

• रौद्राः: fierce/terrible
• रौद्राः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• जाताः: have become
• जाताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थे: 'become/born'

• स्वेन: by one’s own
• स्वेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; स्वेन = by one’s own

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कर्मणा: by (one’s) action/deed
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र 'एतत् ... आख्यातम्' इति कर्मरूपे (object)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान)/षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी: 'to you'

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• आख्यातम्: has been explained/told
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग: 'has been told'

• प्रेतत्वे: in the state of being a preta
• प्रेतत्वे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karta-predicative (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र 'एतत् ... कारणम्' इति विधेय (predicate nominative)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa/Agent-in-passive (Instrumental agent/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One’s own actions (स्वकर्म) generate fierce disposition and burdensome, painful embodiment; preta-state has definite causes.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as upādhi-producing force; guṇa-driven tendencies manifest as embodied experience until knowledge/merit dissolves bondage.

Application: Adopt restraint and compassion to avoid raudra tendencies; perform expiations and righteous conduct; ensure proper end-of-life rites to prevent preta suffering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: causal lists for preta-bhāva and descriptions of raudra pretas; Garuda Purana: karma-phala expositions tied to post-mortem states

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Karma

FAQs

What is the importance of karma in becoming a preta in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the preta condition—along with its harsh, fearsome characteristics—arises from one’s own karma, not from chance or external forces.

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

It implies that the post-death state (including the kind of body-experience and temperament) is shaped by prior actions, framing the afterlife journey as karmically determined.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically and restrain harmful actions, since the Purana links one’s future post-death condition directly to one’s own conduct and choices.