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Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

भ्रातृध्रुग्ब्रह्महा गोघ्नः सुरापो गुरुतल्पगः / कुलमार्गं परित्यज्य ह्यनृतोक्तौ सदा रतः / हर्ता हेम्नश्च भूमेश्च स प्रेदृ

Transliteration

bhrātṛdhrugbrahmahā goghnaḥ surāpo gurutalpagaḥ / kulamārgaṃ parityajya hyanṛtoktau sadā rataḥ / hartā hemnaśca bhūmeśca sa predṛ

Translation

One who betrays his brother, slays a brāhmaṇa, kills a cow, drinks intoxicants, violates the teacher’s bed, abandons the righteous conduct of the family line, delights always in false speech, and steals gold or land—such a person becomes a preta, a restless departed spirit.

Word by Word
भ्रातृbrother
भ्रातृ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member)
ध्रुक्betrayer
ध्रुक्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्रुह् (धातु) → ध्रुक् (कृदन्त/उणादि)
Formकर्तरि, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासान्त-रूप
ब्रह्महाslayer of a Brahmin
ब्रह्महा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → हा (कृदन्त/समासान्त)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हन्ता), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
गोcow
गो:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member)
घ्नःkiller
घ्नः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहन् (धातु) + क (कृदन्त) → घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्तरि (killer), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सुरापःdrinker of liquor
सुरापः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + पा (धातु) → प (कृदन्त)
Formउपपद-तत्पुरुष (सुरां पिबति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
गुरुteacher
गुरु:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member)
तल्पbed
तल्प:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद (as compound member)
गःone who goes to (i.e., violates) the guru’s bed
गः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगम् (धातु) + ड (कृदन्त) → ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formउपपद-तत्पुरुष (गुरुतल्पं गच्छति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
कुलfamily/lineage
कुल:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member)
मार्गम्the family path/tradition
मार्गम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कुलमार्ग = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य मार्गः)
परित्यज्यhaving abandoned
परित्यज्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरि-त्यज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
Formक्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having abandoned)
हिindeed/for
हि:
Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; emphasis/causal)
अनृतfalsehood
अनृत:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद (as compound member)
उक्तौin false speech/lying
उक्तौ:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अनृतोक्तौ = तत्पुरुष (अनृतस्य उक्तिः)
सदाalways
सदा:
Kala (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय
रतःengaged/addicted
रतः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootरम् (धातु) + क्त → रत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
हर्ताstealer
हर्ता:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
Formकर्तरि तृ-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
हेम्नःof gold (gold)
हेम्नः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootहेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
भूमेःof land (land)
भूमेः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
सःhe/that person
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
प्रेदृa preta (departed spirit)
प्रेदृ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेदृ (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थतः ‘प्रेतः’ इत्यर्थे
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mahāpātakas (brahmahatyā, gohatyā, surāpāna, guru-talpa) and allied adharma (falsehood, lineage-dharma abandonment, theft of gold/land) precipitate preta-state.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma thickens avidyā and binds the jīva to lower gati; satya and dharma sustain sattva conducive to higher realization.

Application: Guard against the ‘root’ transgressions: violence against the innocent, sacrilege, intoxication, sexual violation of guru’s household, habitual lying, and property crimes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: mahāpātaka lists and preta/naraka outcomes; Garuda Purana: sections on gohatyā, brahmahatyā, surāpāna, guru-talpa as hell-causing sins

Characters & Entities
P
Preta
G
Guru
B
Brahmana

FAQs

This verse links specific grave sins to becoming a preta—an afflicted post-death condition marked by restlessness—showing how unethical actions can obstruct a peaceful transition after death.

It implies that severe adharma (like brahmahatyā, cow-killing, intoxication, violating the guru, habitual lying, and theft of gold/land) can result in a disturbed intermediate state (preta), affecting the departed being’s onward journey.

Uphold truthfulness, avoid exploitation and theft (especially property/land), honor teachers and ethical boundaries, and follow dharmic conduct—these are presented as safeguards for both social order and one’s post-death well-being.

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