Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

शूद्रान्नेन तु भुक्तेन जठरस्थेन यो मृतः / दुर्मृत्युना मृतो यश्च स प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

śūdrānnena tu bhuktena jaṭharasthena yo mṛtaḥ / durmṛtyunā mṛto yaśca sa preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

A man who dies while food obtained from a Śūdra (improper or forbidden food) still lies undigested in his belly, or who dies by an inauspicious and violent death, is born as a preta, a restless departed spirit.

Word by Word

• शूद्रान्नेन: by food belonging to a Śūdra
• शूद्रान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शूद्रस्य अन्नम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• भुक्तेन: eaten/consumed
• भुक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्नस्य)

• जठरस्थेन: being in the stomach
• जठरस्थेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जठर + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (जठरे स्थितम्)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (यः)

• दुर्मृत्युना: by an evil death
• दुर्मृत्युना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (दुष्टः मृत्युḥ)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (यः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• प्रेतः: a preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अपादान/जातिवाचक-कर्ता (सः नरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Improper conduct and inauspicious death conditions can precipitate preta-bhava (restless post-mortem state).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and the binding force of saṃskāra/adharma shaping post-death experience (saṃsāra).

Application: Maintain dietary/ritual purity per one’s dharma; avoid forbidden food; cultivate sattvic living and preparedness for death (right conduct, timely rites).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of preta-causes (preta-hetu) and remedies via śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna (adjacent verses in 2.22); Garuda Purana: discussions on durmṛtyu/akāla-mṛtyu and preta-lakṣaṇa (Pretakalpa sections)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of preta-yoni (becoming a preta) in Garuda Purana?

This verse links certain causes—ritual impurity connected with food and an inauspicious death—to the preta state, highlighting why proper conduct and post-death rites are emphasized in the Garuda Purana.

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

It indicates that when death occurs under defiling or disruptive conditions (undigested improper food or durmṛtyu), the jīva may not transition smoothly and instead becomes a preta, a restless intermediate condition needing remedial rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain ethical discipline and ritual cleanliness around food and conduct, and ensure timely antyeṣṭi and śrāddha/pinda-dāna rites for the departed to support a peaceful transition.