Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

सुगन्धममलं शीतं पीत्वाम्भो निर्जगाम ह / मार्गश्रमपरिश्रान्तस्तडागतटमण्डपम्

Transliteration

sugandhamamalaṃ śītaṃ pītvāmbho nirjagāma ha / mārgaśramapariśrāntastaḍāgataṭamaṇḍapam

Translation

സുഗന്ധമുള്ള, നിർമലവും തണുത്തതുമായ ജലം കുടിച്ച് അവൻ പുറത്തുവന്നു; വഴിശ്രമത്തിൽ ക്ഷീണിച്ച് കുളത്തിന്റെ കരയിലെ മണ്ഡപത്തിലെത്തി।

Word by Word

• सुगन्धम्: fragrant
• सुगन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (अम्भः)

• अमलम्: pure, spotless
• अमलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (अम्भः)

• शीतम्: cool
• शीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (अम्भः)

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Purvakala (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √पा (धातु) + क्त्वा (gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• अम्भः: water
• अम्भः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निर्जगाम: he went out/emerged
• निर्जगाम: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्+√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/then (narrative)
• ह: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; narrative)

• मार्ग: journey, path
• मार्ग: Hetu/State
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (मार्ग-श्रम-परिश्रान्तः)

• श्रम: fatigue
• श्रम: Hetu/State
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• परिश्रान्तः: exhausted from travel-fatigue
• परिश्रान्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि+√श्रम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्तान्त-विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मार्गश्रमेन परिश्रान्तः)

• तडाग: pond
• तडाग: Adhikarana (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (तडाग-तट-मण्डपम्)

• तट: bank, shore
• तट: Adhikarana (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; समासपूर्वपद

• मण्डपम्: pavilion
• मण्डपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तडागतटे मण्डपः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Appropriate rest after exertion is part of right conduct; sustaining the body supports higher aims.

Vedantic Theme: Śarīra as sādhana—instrument requiring care; moderation (mādhurya/madhyama-mārga).

Application: Balance effort with recovery; take shelter and restore before continuing duties.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: waterside pavilion

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on śauca and proper conduct for travelers/householders (general)

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of cool, pure water in the Garuda Purana’s description of the after-death journey?

This verse portrays water as immediate relief and purification on the difficult path, echoing the ritual idea that supportive offerings (especially water) are meant to ease the preta’s hardship.

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

It depicts the journey as physically taxing in experience—marked by fatigue and the need for rest—suggesting the preta undergoes a travel-like passage with intermittent shelters such as a pond-bank pavilion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It reinforces the ethic of compassionate support through śrāddha-related acts (like offering water) and, more broadly, caring for travelers and the exhausted—seeing relief-giving acts as dharmic.