Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

अकस्माद्गहदाहः स्यात्सा पीडा प्रेतसम्भवा / स्वगेहे कलहो नित्यं स्याच्च मिथ्याभिशंसनप

Transliteration

akasmādgahadāhaḥ syātsā pīḍā pretasambhavā / svagehe kalaho nityaṃ syācca mithyābhiśaṃsanapa

Translation

അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായി വീട്ടിൽ തീപിടിച്ചാൽ, ആ ദുഃഖം പ്രേതപ്രഭാവത്തിൽ നിന്നു ജനിച്ചതെന്ന് പറയുന്നു. സ്വന്തം വീട്ടിൽ നിത്യ കലഹവും, കള്ളാരോപണവും അപവാദവും ഉണ്ടാകും.

Word by Word

• अकस्मात्: suddenly
• अकस्मात्: Adhikarana (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अकस्मात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = suddenly

• गह-दाहः: burning in a pit/cave (sudden burning)
• गह-दाहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गह (प्रातिपदिक) + दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gaha-‘pit/cave’ + dāha ‘burning’)

• स्यात्: may occur / would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• सा: that (she/that)
• सा: Visheshya (Correlative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पीडा: affliction, pain
• पीडा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रेत-सम्भवा: arising from a preta (spirit)
• प्रेत-सम्भवा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष = ‘arising from a preta’

• स्व-गेहे: in one’s own house
• स्व-गेहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘one’s own house’

• कलहः: quarrel
• कलहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = always/constantly

• स्यात्: may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

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

• मिथ्या-अभिशंसनम्: false accusation
• मिथ्या-अभिशंसनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथ्या (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अभिशंसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘false accusation/slander’

• अप: (textual fragment/particle)
• अप: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात); पाठभ्रंश/अपूर्णपद (likely ‘अपि’ or vocative particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Preta-doṣa manifests as sudden misfortune and social discord; unseen karmic residues can surface as tangible suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāsa of fear and suffering upon nāma-rūpa; karma as the operative law within vyavahāra.

Application: When repeated, causeless calamities and false accusations arise, seek śānti: consult learned priests, perform preta-śānti/śrāddha, maintain satya-vāk and household harmony.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/dwelling

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa 2.9 (preta-lakṣaṇa/upiḍā lists continuing in 2.9.60–63)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of preta-related afflictions in Garuda Purana?

This verse treats sudden calamities (like unexpected house-fire) and persistent domestic discord as indicators of preta-sambhava pīḍā—affliction linked to unsettled departed spirits—highlighting why post-death rites and pacification are emphasized.

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

By implying that a preta (an unsettled post-death condition) can impact the living, the verse aligns with the Preta Kanda theme: until proper rites and karmic resolution occur, the departed may remain in a troubled state rather than progressing peacefully onward.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain harmony and truthfulness at home, avoid slander, and if bereavement-related unrest is felt, follow appropriate śrāddha/antyeṣṭi traditions and seek ethical, community-supported ways to restore peace rather than escalating blame.