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Shloka 43

Svapnādhāya (Dream-Chapter): Causes, Forms, Nourishment, and Liberation of Pretas

Devanagari script

सूचिता बहवो ऽनेन विप्रा अन्नाधिकाङ्क्षया / एतत्कारणमुद्दिश्य एष सूचिमुखः स्मृतः

Transliteration

sūcitā bahavo 'nena viprā annādhikāṅkṣayā / etatkāraṇamuddiśya eṣa sūcimukhaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

ഈ ദോഷം മൂലം അന്നത്തോടുള്ള അതിലോഭം കാരണം അനേകം ബ്രാഹ്മണർ നിന്ദിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ഈ കാരണമേ സൂചിപ്പിച്ച് ഈ നരകം ‘സൂചീമുഖം’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word
sūcitāḥ(were) indicated/pointed out
sūcitāḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsūcita (कृदन्त; √sūc (धातु) + क्त)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Bahuvacana (Plural); kta-participle used adjectivally
bahavaḥmany
bahavaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootbahu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; adjective qualifying viprāḥ
anenaby this (one/means)
anena:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga/napuṃsaka (Masculine/Neuter), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana (Singular)
viprāḥBrahmins
viprāḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana
annādhikāṅkṣayādue to excessive desire for food
annādhikāṅkṣayā:
Hetu/Kāraṇa (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootanna + adhika + āṅkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga (Feminine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; samāsa: annādhikāṅkṣā = annasya adhikā āṅkṣā (greater desire for food)
etatthis
etat:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsaka (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying kāraṇam
kāraṇamcause/reason
kāraṇam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana
uddiśyahaving pointed out/with reference to
uddiśya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootuddiśya (अव्यय; √diś (धातु) + ud- + ल्यप्)
FormAbsolutive (Gerund/ल्यपन्त), avyaya; sense: ‘having indicated/with reference to’
eṣaḥthis one
eṣaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana
sūcimukhaḥSūcimukha (needle-faced)
sūcimukhaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsūci + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; samāsa: sūcyā iva mukhaṃ yasya / sūci-mukha (needle-faced)
smṛtaḥis said/called
smṛtaḥ:
Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsmṛta (कृदन्त; √smṛ (धातु) + क्त)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; kta-participle used predicatively (passive sense): ‘is called/considered’
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Excessive craving for food and selfish consumption leads to specific karmic retribution in naraka.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and the binding power of rāga (attachment) to sense-objects (viṣaya).

Application: Practice moderation in eating, share food, and restrain anna-lobha; cultivate dāna and hospitality, especially toward the deserving.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: naraka (hell)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: naraka-catalogues linking specific pāpa to named hells (contextual continuity with adjacent verses 2.22.44–47)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
V
Vipras (Brahmins)
N
Naraka (Sūcīmukha)

FAQs

This verse links the name ‘Sūcīmukha’ to a specific karmic cause—being censured for food-driven misconduct—showing how Garuda Purana assigns precise moral causes to particular narakas.

It implies that specific cravings and unethical behavior (here, excessive food-desire leading to blameworthy conduct) shape post-death experience, directing the soul toward corresponding punishment-realms described in Preta Kanda.

Practice restraint and integrity regarding food and hospitality, avoid greed-driven compromise of dharma, and cultivate disciplined consumption (mitāhāra) and ethical conduct.

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