Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 26

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

मत्स्याः कूर्माः कृकलासा वृश्चिका भ्रमराहयः / अधोमुखोर्ध्वपादास्ते क्रन्दमानाः सुदारुणम्

Transliteration

matsyāḥ kūrmāḥ kṛkalāsā vṛścikā bhramarāhayaḥ / adhomukhordhvapādāste krandamānāḥ sudāruṇam

Translation

魚、亀、トカゲ、サソリ、蜂、そして蛇――それらの生き物は顔を下にし、足を上に向けて横たわり、極めて恐ろしい苦痛の中で泣き叫んでいる。

Word by Word

• मत्स्याः: fish
• मत्स्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कूर्माः: tortoises
• कूर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कृकलासाः: lizards
• कृकलासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृकलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वृश्चिकाः: scorpions
• वृश्चिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृश्चिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भ्रमराः: bees
• भ्रमराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अहयः: snakes
• अहयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अधोमुख: with faces downward
• अधोमुख: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधोमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः अधः + मुख; 'ते' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ऊर्ध्वपादाः: with feet upward
• ऊर्ध्वपादाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्वपाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः ऊर्ध्व + पाद; 'ते' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• क्रन्दमानाः: crying
• क्रन्दमानाः: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रन्दमान (कृदन्त; धातु √क्रन्द् + शानच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शानच्; 'ते' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सुदारुणम्: very terribly
• सुदारुणम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुदारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Duḥkha as consequence of disorder; inversion imagery suggests papa-driven reversal of dharmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra-duḥkha and the ‘viparyaya’ (inversion) of perception/values; impetus toward vairāgya.

Application: Reflect on suffering to cultivate compassion and ethical restraint; correct ‘inversions’ in one’s conduct (harm, deceit, cruelty).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness/charnel-adjacent terrain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: naraka and papa-phala sections frequently use inversion/torment imagery (general)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama-loka punishments in the Garuda Purana?

This verse reinforces moral causality by depicting severe torment in Yama’s realm, motivating restraint from harmful actions and adherence to dharma.

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

Within the Preta Kanda’s narrative, such scenes are part of the post-death journey where the soul, driven by karma, encounters fearful realms and sufferings overseen under Yama’s order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate non-violence, self-control, and ethical conduct; support dharmic living and remembrance of mortality, and perform appropriate śrāddha/charity with sincerity to reduce harmful karmic tendencies.