Shloka 84

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

Devanagari script

प्रतिजज्ञे नृपः पश्चादेष ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवः / आभ्यो रत्नं सुवर्णञ्च हृतं येन भविष्यति

Transliteration

pratijajñe nṛpaḥ paścādeṣa brāhmaṇapuṅgavaḥ / ābhyo ratnaṃ suvarṇañca hṛtaṃ yena bhaviṣyati

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം രാജാവ് പ്രതിജ്ഞ ചെയ്തു: 'ഈ ബ്രാഹ്മണശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ വഴിയായിരിക്കും അവരിൽ നിന്ന് രത്നങ്ങളും സ്വർണ്ണവും വീണ്ടെടുക്കുക.'

Word by Word

• प्रतिजज्ञे: (he) promised / vowed
• प्रतिजज्ञे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; ‘प्रतिज्ञा’ = प्रतिज्ञां कृतवान्

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवः: the foremost of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणानां पुङ्गवः)

• आभ्यः: from these two
• आभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case, Ablative) / चतुर्थी (4th case, Dative), द्विवचन; अत्र पञ्चमी (from these two)

• रत्नम्: a jewel
• रत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हृतम्: stolen / taken away
• हृतम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) → हृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘stolen/taken’

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे ‘by whom’

• भविष्यति: will be / will happen
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rāja-dharma: the king’s vow to restore stolen wealth and uphold order, relying on a trusted brāhmaṇa as moral authority.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as a stabilizing order (ṛta/dharma) within vyavahāra; ethical action precedes inner purification.

Application: Keep commitments publicly made; restore what is taken; use competent, ethical counsel in resolving disputes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: royal court/palace

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes: theft/violence leading to naraka and preta-state (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• King (nṛpa)
• Brāhmaṇa (brāhmaṇa-puṅgava)

FAQs

What is the importance of dharma-based justice in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that a ruler should act through dharmic means—placing trust in a truly virtuous brāhmaṇa—to restore what was wrongfully taken.

How does this verse connect to karma and consequences discussed in the Garuda Purana?

By focusing on stolen jewels and gold and their recovery, the verse echoes the Purana’s broader theme that adharma (like theft) leads to consequences, while righteous action supports restoration and order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose ethical, competent guidance in resolving disputes, and prioritize restitution and truth over force or deceit when addressing wrongdoing.