Shloka 101

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

इत्थं विमानेन मदीयलोकं गतो द्विजरसो ऽप्यथ पञ्चमिस्तैः / प्रेता ययुः स्वर्गमगण्यपुण्यं सत्सङ्गसंसर्गवशात्सुपर्णम्

Transliteration

itthaṃ vimānena madīyalokaṃ gato dvijaraso 'pyatha pañcamistaiḥ / pretā yayuḥ svargamagaṇyapuṇyaṃ satsaṅgasaṃsargavaśātsuparṇam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ വിമാനം കയറി ആ ദ്വിജനും എന്റെ ലോകത്തേക്ക് എത്തി; അവനോടൊപ്പം ആ അഞ്ചു പ്രേതരും—ഹേ സുപർണ (ഗരുഡാ)!—സത്സംഗസമ്പർക്കബലത്തിൽ അളവറ്റ പുണ്യം നേടി സ്വർഗത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി।

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus; in this way
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय — adverb (in this manner)

• विमानेन: by an aerial chariot
• विमानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• मदीयलोकम्: my world
• मदीयलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदीय (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; समासः कर्मधारयः (मदीयः लोकः)

• गतः: gone; having gone
• गतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गत (कृदन्त, √गम्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — past participle used predicatively

• द्विजरसः: the essence/foremost of the twice-born
• द्विजरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (द्विजस्य रसः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — particle (also/even)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय — sequential particle (then/now)

• पञ्चमिः: the five (group)
• पञ्चमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural (the fifths; i.e., five)

• तैः: with them
• तैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (with/by them)

• प्रेताः: departed spirits; pretas
• प्रेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd person plural

• स्वर्गम्: to heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अगण्यपुण्यम्: of immeasurable merit
• अगण्यपुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular agreeing with स्वर्गम्; समासः कर्मधारयः

• सत्सङ्गसंसर्गवशात्: due to the influence of association with the good
• सत्सङ्गसंसर्गवशात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन — Ablative singular (due to/because of); समासः तत्पुरुषः (सत्सङ्गस्य संसर्गस्य वशः)

• सुपर्णम्: to Suparna (Garuda)
• सुपर्णम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (as destination/unto)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sat-saṅga (association with the holy) generates immeasurable merit and can uplift even pretas to heaven.

Vedantic Theme: Transformative power of saṅga: proximity to sattva and devotion purifies karma and redirects destiny.

Application: Choose elevating company; listen to sacred discourse; support communities of virtue—association itself becomes a spiritual practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: recurring claim that hearing/reciting sacred narratives and keeping holy company prevents preta-state; Narrative arc of the five pretas’ uplift

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda (Suparna)
• Pretas
• Dvija (brahmin)

FAQs

What is the importance of sat-sanga (holy company) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that mere contact with the righteous can generate “immeasurable merit,” powerful enough to uplift even pretas to svarga, highlighting sat-sanga as a transformative spiritual force.

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

It depicts post-death movement as a destination-based journey (to Vishnu’s realm or svarga) and teaches that karmic outcomes can be elevated through spiritual influence—here, the pretas rise due to association with a virtuous dvija.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep company with ethical and spiritually grounded people, support satsang and recitation for the departed, and perform shraddha-related acts with sincere intention—emphasizing purity of association as a real source of merit.