Shloka 35

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

बाहुभ्यां द्वौ द्वौ च पद्भ्यां मूर्ध्नैकं च समाहरत् / प्रेतानथापि सहसा जघान दृढमुष्टिना

Transliteration

bāhubhyāṃ dvau dvau ca padbhyāṃ mūrdhnaikaṃ ca samāharat / pretānathāpi sahasā jaghāna dṛḍhamuṣṭinā

Translation

両腕で二体ずつを掴み、両足でも二体ずつを押さえ、さらに頭でも一体を取りまとめた。ついで不意の突進で、固く握り締めた拳によりプレータたちを打ち倒した。

Word by Word

• बाहुभ्याम्: with (his) two arms
• बाहुभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन; करण

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन; संख्या

• द्वौ: two (and two)
• द्वौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन; संख्या (पुनरुक्ति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पद्भ्याम्: with (his) two feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन; करण

• मूर्ध्ना: with (his) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्या

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समाहरत्: he gathered/collected
• समाहरत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ√हृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रेतान्: the pretas
• प्रेतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तर-अव्यय (then)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कार (also/even)

• सहसा: suddenly/forcefully
• सहसा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (suddenly/violently)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• दृढमुष्टिना: with a firm fist
• दृढमुष्टिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृढ+मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण; (दृढा मुष्टिः यस्य/या) ‘with a firm fist’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra within the Preta Kanda dialogue context)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection through strength when confronted by destructive beings; disciplined force as a dharmic response to adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-bala and buddhi-niścaya: firm resolve can cut through fear-born projections.

Application: When confronting harm, combine strategy with restraint; act swiftly to prevent escalation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.7.34 (advance); Garuda Purana 2.7.36-38 (counterattack and outcome)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of pretas in the Garuda Purana’s after-death descriptions?

This verse depicts pretas as aggressive, obstructive beings in the post-death landscape, emphasizing the vulnerability of the departed and the need for dharmic living and proper funerary rites.

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

By portraying sudden attacks and violent encounters with pretas, the verse supports the Preta Kanda theme that the soul’s journey can be perilous and shaped by unseen forces and karmic conditions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically to reduce harmful karmic outcomes, and follow traditional antyeṣṭi and śrāddha practices (as appropriate to one’s tradition) to support the departed and minimize preta-related disturbances.