Shloka 46
The Tale of the Five Pretas and the Glory of Puṣkara & the Eastern Sarasvatī
प्रेता ऊचुः । श्रुताश्च विविधा धर्माः पृच्छामो दुःखिता मुने । येन वै जायते प्रेतस्तन्नो वद महामते
pretā ūcuḥ | śrutāśca vividhā dharmāḥ pṛcchāmo duḥkhitā mune | yena vai jāyate pretastanno vada mahāmate
પ્રેતો બોલ્યા—હે મુને! અમે વિવિધ ધર્મો સાંભળ્યા છે. દુઃખિત થઈને પૂછીએ છીએ—જે કારણે પ્રેતત્વ થાય છે તે અમને કહો, હે મહામતિ।
Pretas (departed spirits)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: celestial_realm
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्रुताश्च = श्रुताः + च; प्रेतस्तन्नो = प्रेतः + तत् + नः; महामते = महा + मते (कर्मधारय-समास)
FAQs
The pretas, suffering as restless spirits, ask a sage to explain the cause—what actions or conditions lead a being to become a preta.
No. This verse is a question that introduces the topic; the explanation is expected in the subsequent verses of the dialogue.
That dharma and one’s actions have consequences beyond death, and understanding righteous conduct is sought as a remedy for suffering.