Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

नैव लभ्येत नश्येतः सा पीडा प्रेतसंमवा / सुवृष्टौ कृषिनाशः स्याद्वाणिज्याद्वृत्तिनाशनम्

Transliteration

naiva labhyeta naśyetaḥ sā pīḍā pretasaṃmavā / suvṛṣṭau kṛṣināśaḥ syādvāṇijyādvṛttināśanam

Translation

പ്രേതസംബന്ധമായ ഈ പീഡ മാറുകയുമില്ല, ഉപായങ്ങളാൽ ശമിക്കുകയുമില്ല. നല്ല മഴ പെയ്താലും കൃഷി നശിക്കാം; വ്യാപാരത്തിലൂടെയും ഉപജീവനം നഷ്ടപ്പെടാം.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) = not

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) = indeed/just

• लभ्येत: would be obtained
• लभ्येत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense) = ‘would be obtained’

• नश्येत: would perish
• नश्येत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद/आत्मनेपद-प्रयोगभेद; = ‘would perish’

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

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

• प्रेत-संमवा: preta-born
• प्रेत-संमवा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पाठभ्रंश: ‘संमवा’ likely for ‘सम्भवा’; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सु-वृष्टौ: in good rainfall
• सु-वृष्टौ: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘good rainfall’

• कृषि-नाशः: crop failure
• कृषि-नाशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष = ‘destruction of agriculture’

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

• वाणिज्यात्: from trade
• वाणिज्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणिज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान = ‘from trade’

• वृत्ति-नाशनम्: loss of livelihood
• वृत्ति-नाशनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष = ‘destruction of livelihood’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When preta-doṣa persists, ordinary remedies fail; even favorable conditions (good rain) may not yield results—karma can obstruct outcomes.

Vedantic Theme: Phala-vyāpti is not guaranteed by apparent causes; unseen adṛṣṭa (karmic) factors condition results in saṃsāra.

Application: Do not assume external conditions ensure success; strengthen dharma (truth, charity, rites for departed), diversify livelihood, and cultivate equanimity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: agrarian landscape/marketplace

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.9.59–63 (preta-upadrava sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

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

This verse stresses that suffering connected with a preta-condition is persistent and hard to neutralize, indicating why proper post-death rites and dharmic conduct are emphasized in the Preta Kanda.

How does this verse explain the impact of the after-death condition on the living?

It links preta-born torment with tangible disruption in worldly stability—showing that even favorable conditions (like good rainfall) may not prevent loss, and livelihoods (agriculture and trade) can still collapse.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death-related duties seriously—perform appropriate rites with sincerity, maintain ethical living, and address persistent distress with disciplined dharma rather than assuming external prosperity alone will remove suffering.