Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

पितृपैतामहं धर्मं किक्रीणाति स पापभाक् / मृतः प्रेतत्वमाप्नोति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्

Transliteration

pitṛpaitāmahaṃ dharmaṃ kikrīṇāti sa pāpabhāk / mṛtaḥ pretatvamāpnoti yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam

Translation

One who sells off or barters away the dharma of the ancestors and forefathers becomes a sharer in sin; and after death he attains the state of a preta, remaining so until the dissolution at the end of the cosmic cycle.

Word by Word

• पितृपैतामहम्: ancestral (of father and grandfather)
• पितृपैतामहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ + पैतामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मम् इति)

• धर्मम्: duty/rite
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• किक्रीणाति: sells (barters)
• किक्रीणाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्री (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; देशी-प्रयोगे ‘विक्रय/क्रय’ अर्थे

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापभाक्: a sharer in sin / sinner
• पापभाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + भाज् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘भाक्’ = भज्-धातोः क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त (one who partakes)

• मृतः: having died
• मृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त

• प्रेतत्वम्: the state of being a preta
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Kala-Avadhi (Time limit/कालावधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशक)

• आ: up to
• आ: Kala-Avadhi (Time limit/कालावधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; ‘यावत् … आ …’ इति अवधि-प्रयोगे

• भूतसंप्लवम्: the cosmic dissolution
• भूतसंप्लवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + संप्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘प्रलय’ अर्थे

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Alienating/selling ancestral religious endowments or duties (pitṛ-paitāmaha-dharma) incurs pāpa and results in prolonged preta-bhāva.

Vedantic Theme: Ṛṇa-traya (debts to ancestors, sages, gods) and the binding force of adharma; neglect of pitṛ-ṛṇa obstructs inner purification.

Application: Preserve family religious trusts, ancestral rites, and ethical inheritances; if harmed, perform restitution, prāyaścitta, and renewed śrāddha/charity in ancestors’ name.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: pitṛ-ṛṇa, śrāddha-mahātmyas, and preta-śānti sections (general internal linkage); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: duration and suffering of preta-state (conceptual proximity)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of pitṛ-dharma (ancestral duty) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that betraying or commodifying ancestral dharma is a grave fault; it disrupts one’s post-death passage and can result in prolonged preta-hood.

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

It presents preta-hood as a consequence of serious adharma tied to ancestors—an obstructed afterlife condition that can persist for an extremely long duration, described here as lasting until cosmic dissolution.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat inherited religious and ethical responsibilities with integrity—avoid exploiting family sacred trusts or rites for profit, and uphold duties toward elders and ancestors through sincere conduct and appropriate observances.