Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां व्रतं कुर्वञ्जागरेण समन्वितम् / अपरैः सुकृतैः पूतो न प्रेतो न प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ vrataṃ kurvañjāgareṇa samanvitam / aparaiḥ sukṛtaiḥ pūto na preto na preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

ഏകാദശി വ്രതം ജാഗരണത്തോടുകൂടി അനുഷ്ഠിച്ച്, മറ്റു സുകൃതങ്ങളാലും ശുദ്ധനായ മനുഷ്യൻ പ്രേതനാകുകയില്ല; പ്രേതാവസ്ഥയിൽ ജനിക്കുകയുമില്ല.

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekādaśī
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• व्रतम्: a vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कुर्वन्: doing, performing
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययः), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि (doing)

• जागरेण: with vigil (wakefulness)
• जागरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समन्वितम्: accompanied (by)
• समन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√इ (धातु) + क्त; समन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (endowed/combined)

• अपरैः: by other
• अपरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (other)

• सुकृतैः: by good deeds/merits
• सुकृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पूतः: purified
• पूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त; √पू, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (पुनरुक्ति-बलार्थ)

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ekādaśī fasting with night vigil, supported by other merits, prevents preta-state.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti-supported karma: vrata as a means to chitta-shuddhi and divine protection.

Application: Observe Ekādaśī with fasting (as able) and night vigil (jāgara), adding charity and ethical conduct to strengthen merit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: temple/home-shrine

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Ekadashi-mahatmya style passages (contextual parallel within Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pretas
• Ekadashi

FAQs

What is the importance of Ekadashi vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that observing Ekādaśī with night-vigil, supported by other good deeds, purifies a person so that they do not enter the preta-condition after death.

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

It implies that post-death outcomes are shaped by dharmic practice and accumulated merit: disciplined observance (vrata) and wakeful devotion (jāgaraṇa) help prevent the soul from falling into the intermediate preta-state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep regular vows with sincerity—such as Ekādaśī fasting (as health permits), night prayer/meditation, and consistent ethical conduct—so that one’s life builds purification (sukṛta) rather than confusion and attachment.