Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 40

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

स्वामिद्रोहकरा मित्रब्राह्मद्रोहकराश्च ये / तीर्थपापकरा राजञ्जायन्ते प्रेतयोनयः / एवमाद्या महाराज जायन्ते प्रेतयोनयः

Transliteration

svāmidrohakarā mitrabrāhmadrohakarāśca ye / tīrthapāpakarā rājañjāyante pretayonayaḥ / evamādyā mahārāja jāyante pretayonayaḥ

Translation

王よ、主君を裏切る者、友を、あるいはブラーフマナを裏切る者、またティールタ（聖なる巡礼地）に関わる罪を犯す者—その者らはプレータの生（プレータ・ヨーニ）に生まれる。かくして大王よ、これらおよび同類の罪人はプレータとして生まれる。

Word by Word

• स्वामिद्रोहकराः: those who commit treachery against their master
• स्वामिद्रोहकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि-द्रोह-कर (प्रातिपदिक; स्वामि + द्रोह + कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मित्रब्राह्मद्रोहकराः: those who betray friends and Brahmins
• मित्रब्राह्मद्रोहकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र-ब्राह्म-द्रोह-कर (प्रातिपदिक; मित्र + ब्राह्म(ण) + द्रोह + कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तीर्थपापकराः: those who commit sin at sacred places
• तीर्थपापकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-पाप-कर (प्रातिपदिक; तीर्थ + पाप + कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जायन्ते: are born / arise
• जायन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural (Ātmanepada)

• प्रेतयोनयः: preta-wombs / births as pretas
• प्रेतयोनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत-योनि (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत + योनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• आद्याः: and others of this kind
• आद्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; विशेषणम् (implied: जनाः)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-राजन् (प्रातिपदिक; महा + राजन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जायन्ते: are born
• जायन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural (Ātmanepada)

• प्रेतयोनयः: preta-births
• प्रेतयोनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत-योनि (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत + योनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra, with the verse addressing the King as part of the discourse style)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Betrayal (of master, friend, brāhmaṇa) and tīrtha-offenses generate heavy papa leading to preta-yoni (restless post-death state).

Vedantic Theme: Adharma against dharma-supporting relationships (guru/brāhmaṇa, patron/master, friend) disrupts social-ritual order and binds the jīva to suffering states.

Application: Honor trust and obligations; protect brāhmaṇas/teachers; behave with heightened restraint at sacred places; seek expiation promptly for breaches.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: sacred site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta-yoni causes; Yama’s jurisprudence themes (contextual).; Garuda Purana: tīrtha-mahātmyas often stress purity and avoidance of pāpa at holy sites (thematic).

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Brahmanas
• Tirthas

FAQs

What is the importance of preta-yoni in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats preta-yoni as a karmic consequence: severe betrayals (of master, friend, or brāhmaṇa) and offenses related to sacred tīrthas can result in becoming a restless preta rather than attaining a stable post-death passage.

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

It implies that ethical violations and sacrilege can obstruct orderly transition after death, producing an unsettled preta condition—an intermediate, troubled state shaped by one’s actions (karma).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice loyalty and gratitude toward benefactors, avoid harming or deceiving friends, treat brāhmaṇas and spiritual teachers with integrity, and maintain reverence and cleanliness at pilgrimage sites—seeing sacred spaces as places for restraint, not exploitation.