Shloka 37

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

तापसीं च सगोत्रां च अगम्यां ये भजन्ति हि / भवन्ति ते महाप्रेता अम्बुजानि हरन्ति ये

Transliteration

tāpasīṃ ca sagotrāṃ ca agamyāṃ ye bhajanti hi / bhavanti te mahāpretā ambujāni haranti ye

Translation

തപസ്വിനിയായ സ്ത്രീയോടും, സ്വഗോത്രസ്ത്രീയോടും, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നിഷിദ്ധയായ (അഗമ്യ) സ്ത്രീയോടും സംഗമിക്കുന്നവൻ നിശ്ചയം മഹാപ്രേതനാകുന്നു; അതുപോലെ താമരകൾ കവർന്നെടുക്കുന്നവരും മഹാപ്രേതരാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• तापसीम्: a female ascetic
• तापसीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सगोत्राम्: of the same lineage (same gotra)
• सगोत्राम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-गोत्रा (प्रातिपदिक; स + गोत्र)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying तापसीम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अगम्याम्: one who must not be approached (sexually forbidden)
• अगम्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-गम्या (प्रातिपदिक; गम् धातु + यत्, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying तापसीम्)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भजन्ति: consort with / engage in
• भजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• भवन्ति: become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; अन्वादेश (correlative pronoun to ये)

• महाप्रेताः: great pretas (mighty ghosts)
• महाप्रेताः: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक; महा + प्रेत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• अम्बुजानि: lotuses
• अम्बुजानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक; अम्बु + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• हरन्ति: steal / carry off
• हरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe adharma—sexual violation of forbidden categories and theft of sacred/pure objects—ripens into preta-condition.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha through rāga-dveṣa and adharma; fall into lower states due to tamasic action.

Application: Maintain sexual ethics (avoid agamya relations), respect ascetic status and gotra boundaries, refrain from theft—especially of items tied to worship or purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of preta-causing sins and preta-yoni causes (contextual parallel within 2.27); Garuda Purana: teachings on sexual misconduct (strī-saṅga/agamya) leading to naraka/preta outcomes (general internal theme)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'preta' state in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the preta-state to warn that certain grave violations of dharma—especially forbidden sexual relations and theft—can lead to a distressed post-death condition described in the Preta Kanda.

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

By linking specific actions to becoming a mahāpreta, the verse frames the after-death journey as morally conditioned: misconduct imprints consequences that manifest as suffering and instability in the subtle post-mortem state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clear ethical boundaries in relationships (avoid forbidden unions, respect lineage and vows of renunciation) and practice non-stealing—even of offerings or sacred/communal items—treating them as part of dharma.