Shloka 16

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

सूचितं सर आगत्य साश्व एव व्यगाहत / पद्मानाञ्च परागेण उत्पलानां रजेन च

Transliteration

sūcitaṃ sara āgatya sāśva eva vyagāhata / padmānāñca parāgeṇa utpalānāṃ rajena ca

Translation

സൂചിപ്പിച്ച തടാകത്തിലെത്തി അവൻ കുതിരയോടുകൂടി ഉടൻ വെള്ളത്തിലിറങ്ങി; താമരപ്പൊടിയും നീലത്താമരയുടെ ധൂളിയും അവനെ മൂടി।

Word by Word

• सूचितम्: indicated, shown
• सूचितम्: Karma/Descriptor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूचित (√सूच् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्तान्त; (सरः) विशेषण—'indicated/pointed out'

• सरः: lake, pond
• सरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Purvakala (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+√गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (gerund)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• साश्वः: with (his) horse
• साश्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सह) (उपसर्गार्थ) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सह अश्वेन)

• एव: just, indeed
• एव: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive particle)

• व्यगाहत: he entered/plunged into
• व्यगाहत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+आ+√गाह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पद्मानाम्: of lotuses
• पद्मानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परागेण: with pollen
• परागेण: Karana (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• उत्पलानाम्: of water-lilies
• उत्पलानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• रजेन: with dust/pollen
• रजेन: Karana (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contact with purity (śuddha-jala, padma) restores and reorients; actions have immediate experiential fruits.

Vedantic Theme: Śuddhi (purification) as a support for clarity; outer cleansing mirrors inner settling.

Application: Use cleansing practices (bathing, mindful reset) to break cycles of agitation and restore composure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: lake (saras) with lotuses

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent use of tīrtha/snana motifs as purificatory supports (general)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the lake imagery in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses a clearly indicated lake and lotus-pollen imagery to convey a moment of transition and cleansing on the journey, suggesting a marked stage where the traveler becomes ‘stained’ or ‘marked’ by the environment of the path.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Within the Preta Kanda’s travel-narrative style, it depicts the traveler reaching a specified waypoint (the lake) and immediately entering it—showing that the after-death route is presented as sequential, with indicated stations and experiences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat life as a staged journey: follow right guidance (sūcitam), act promptly in duties (eva), and keep conduct pure—supporting traditional śrāddha/ritual discipline and ethical living aligned with dharma.