Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

एतद्धि श्रद्धया यस्तु प्रेतलिङ्गनिदर्शनम् / पठते शृणुते वापि प्रेतचिह्नं विनश्यति

Transliteration

etaddhi śraddhayā yastu pretaliṅganidarśanam / paṭhate śṛṇute vāpi pretacihnaṃ vinaśyati

Translation

まことに、信をもってこのプレータ（餓鬼）の徴（しるし）の説示を誦し、あるいはただ聴く者は、プレータの状態の印が滅せられる。

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (thing)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• प्रेतलिङ्गनिदर्शनम्: the description/indication of the signs of a preta
• प्रेतलिङ्गनिदर्शनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + लिङ्ग + निदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (प्रेतस्य लिङ्गस्य निदर्शनम्)

• पठते: reads
• पठते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणुते: hears, listens
• शृणुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अपि=also/even

• प्रेतचिह्नम्: the sign(s) of a preta
• प्रेतचिह्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रेतस्य चिह्नम्)

• विनश्यति: perishes, is destroyed
• विनश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: वि-

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śraddhā-yukta śravaṇa/pāṭha of dhārmika teaching has apotropaic power, dissolving preta-state markers.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-pramāṇa and saṃskāra-śuddhi: transformative efficacy of sacred sound when received with faith.

Application: Regularly listen to/recite the relevant section with faith, especially when fearful of inauspicious signs; cultivate śraddhā and sattva through disciplined hearing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: sections on preta-lakṣaṇa and their nivṛtti (contextual continuity into 2.24)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of describing preta-signs (preta-liṅga) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that faithful reading or hearing of the preta-sign description itself has a purificatory effect, destroying the marks of the preta-state.

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

It implies that the post-death condition (preta-bhāva) can be influenced by dharmic means such as śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation), which help remove harmful post-death indicators.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform sincere recitation or attentive listening of relevant Garuda Purana passages during bereavement/śrāddha contexts, cultivating faith and ethical living to support auspicious post-death transitions.