Shloka 21

Preta-Mokṣa Upāya: Svapna-Lakṣaṇa, Pitṛ-Doṣa, and Prescribed Rites

Kṛṣṇa-bali & Nārāyaṇa-bali

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच / सत्यं वाप्यनृतं वापि वदन्ति क्षितिदेवताः / तदा सञ्चिन्त्य हृदये सत्यमेतद्द्विजेरितम्

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca / satyaṃ vāpyanṛtaṃ vāpi vadanti kṣitidevatāḥ / tadā sañcintya hṛdaye satyametaddvijeritam

Translation

ശ്രീഭഗവാൻ പറഞ്ഞു: ഭൂമിയിലെ ദേവന്മാർ (ബ്രാഹ്മണർ) സത്യമോ അസത്യമോ പറയട്ടെ, ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ചിന്തിച്ച് ആ ദ്വിജൻ (ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ) പറഞ്ഞത് സത്യമാണെന്ന് കരുതണം.

Word by Word

• श्रीभगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• श्रीभगवान्: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक; śrī + bhagavat)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् भगवान्)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वदन्ति इति क्रियायाः कर्म

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• अनृतम्: falsehood
• अनृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anṛta (प्रातिपदिक; a- + ṛta)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (न ऋतम् = अनृतम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय

• वदन्ति: they speak
• वदन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• क्षितिदेवताः: earthly divinities (brahmins)
• क्षितिदेवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti-devatā (प्रातिपदिक; kṣiti + devatā)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षितेः देवताः = पृथिव्यां स्थिताः/भू-देवताः, i.e., brāhmaṇas)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• सञ्चिन्त्य: having considered
• सञ्चिन्त्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sañcintya (कृदन्त; √cint (चिन्त्) + ल्यप्, उपसर्ग: सम्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (absolutive/gerund): having reflected

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• द्विजेरितम्: spoken by a brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजेरितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvija-īrita (प्रातिपदिक; dvija + īrita)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजेन ईरितम् = spoken by a twice-born); ईरित = √īr/ईर् + क्त

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrī Bhagavān)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly authorities may speak truth or falsehood; one should reflect inwardly and recognize the truth aligned with learned (dvija) instruction.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka and śraddhā in śāstra/guru; inner conscience (antar-manas) as a site of verification when external speech is unreliable.

Application: Evaluate claims critically; consult learned, ethical teachers; corroborate with reasoned reflection and scriptural consistency before acting.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: social sphere/civic authority

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana didactic method: Vishnu adjudicates competing claims and anchors guidance in dharma and reflection (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu
• Dvija (twice-born/learned Brahmin)
• Kṣitidevatāḥ (earth-deities/worldly authorities)

FAQs

What is the importance of truth (satya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents satya as something to be inwardly verified and aligned with dharmic, learned testimony (dvija-īritam), implying that spiritual truth is not merely what worldly powers proclaim.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

In the Preta Kanda’s after-death setting, reliable guidance matters; the verse stresses discernment—one should not be misled by external claims, but hold to dharmic truth recognized by the wise, which supports right conduct affecting the soul’s post-mortem journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Don’t accept claims solely due to authority or popularity; reflect sincerely, consult trustworthy learned sources, and choose what accords with dharma—especially in matters of ethics, rites, and end-of-life duties.