Shloka 2

Preta-lakṣaṇa and Svapna-nimitta: Dream Portents of Preta-affliction and the Prescribed Remedies

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच / तेषां स्वरूपं वक्ष्यामि चिह्नं स्वप्नं यथातथम् / क्षुत्पिपासार्दितास्ते वै प्रविशेयुः स्ववेश्मनि

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca / teṣāṃ svarūpaṃ vakṣyāmi cihnaṃ svapnaṃ yathātatham / kṣutpipāsārditāste vai praviśeyuḥ svaveśmani

Translation

Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit : «Je décrirai leur véritable forme, leurs signes distinctifs et la nature de leurs rêves, tels qu’ils sont. Tourmentés par la faim et la soif, ils entrent en vérité dans leur propre demeure.»

Word by Word

• श्रीभगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• श्रीभगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + भगवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• स्वरूपम्: true form, nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• चिह्नम्: sign, mark
• चिह्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वप्नम्: dream
• स्वप्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथातथम्: exactly as it is
• यथातथम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-तथा (अव्यय; यथा + तथा)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial pair: 'as it is, in due order/accurately')

• क्षुत्पिपासार्दिताः: afflicted by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्पिपासार्दिताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत्-पिपासा-अर्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अर्द् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying te)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis)

• प्रविशेयुः: would enter / may enter
• प्रविशेयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्ववेश्मनि: into their own house
• स्ववेश्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + वेश्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Bhagavān (Lord Vishnu)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The subtle being experiences deprivation (hunger/thirst) and remains bound to former attachments, manifesting in dreams and signs until karmic/ritual resolution.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma-śarīra continuity and vāsanā-bandha (bondage by latent impressions) shaping post-mortem experience.

Application: Treat dreams/omens around bereavement with sobriety; respond through prescribed rites, charity, and remembrance rather than fear or superstition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household/home

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta-lakṣaṇa, svapna (dreams), kṣut-pipāsā (hunger/thirst), and household visitation motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Preta (implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing the preta’s form, signs, and dreams in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a systematic teaching: the Lord will explain the preta’s condition through observable “signs” and inner experiences like dreams, helping understand post-death states and why rites are prescribed.

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

It indicates a transitional state marked by distress (hunger and thirst) in which the being may still move toward familiar places—such as its own home—before progressing further in the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages timely, respectful post-death observances and compassionate conduct, recognizing that unresolved attachment and distress are central themes in the Purana’s guidance on death rites and ethical living.