Shloka 67

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

Devanagari script

मन्त्रैर्हेमस्तथा कार्यः षड्भिर्नृप विधानतः / बहून्विप्रान् भोजयेथास्तद्रत्नाप्तधनेन वै / एवं कृते महीपाल मम मुक्तिर्भविष्यति

Transliteration

mantrairhemastathā kāryaḥ ṣaḍbhirnṛpa vidhānataḥ / bahūnviprān bhojayethāstadratnāptadhanena vai / evaṃ kṛte mahīpāla mama muktirbhaviṣyati

Translation

ഹേ നൃപാ! വിധിപ്രകാരം ആറു മന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ സ്വർണ്ണത്തിന് സംസ്കാരം നടത്തണം. ആ സ്വർണ്ണ-രത്നത്തിൽ നിന്നു ലഭിച്ച ധനത്തോടെ അനേകം ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു ഭോജനദാനം ചെയ്യുക. ഇങ്ങനെ ചെയ്താൽ, ഹേ മഹീപാലാ, എനിക്ക് മോക്ഷം ലഭിക്കും.

Word by Word

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine instrumental plural

• हेम: gold
• हेम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्/हेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Neuter nominative singular

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); ‘thus/also’

• कार्यः: should be made (prepared)
• कार्यः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे क्तव्य/णीयत्-भाव (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be made/done’ (agreeing with हेम)

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Numeral instrumental plural (qualifying मन्त्रैः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• विधानतः: according to procedure
• विधानतः: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ‘according to rule’

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Masculine accusative plural (qualifying विप्रान्)

• विप्रान्: brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• भोजयेथाः: you should feed
• भोजयेथाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ) / विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिच्) ‘to cause to eat’

• तत्: with that
• तत्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Demonstrative adj. neut instr sg (agreeing with धनेन)

• रत्न-आप्त-धनेन: with the wealth obtained by the jewel
• रत्न-आप्त-धनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Neuter instrumental singular; तत्पुरुष (रत्नेन आप्तं धनम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); ‘thus/in this way’

• कृते: when (it is) done
• कृते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative absolute sense ‘when done’

• महीपाल: O protector of the earth (king)
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (महीम् पालयति)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine nominative singular

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future 3rd person singular; परस्मैपद

Speaker

A suffering departed soul (preta) addressing a king (mahīpāla) within a Preta-kanda instructional narrative

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna and properly performed mantra-ritual can become a means for ‘mukti’ (release) for the afflicted/departed, mediated through dharmic action and merit transfer.

Vedantic Theme: Gradual purification (citta-śuddhi) through sattvic karma and dāna; liberation language used in a ritual-merit framework (relative mokṣa/uttama-gati).

Application: Combine procedural integrity (mantra/vidhi) with expansive generosity (feeding many) to transform wealth into spiritual welfare for self/others.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna, anna-dāna, and śrāddha-related feeding as key aids to preta/ancestor welfare; ‘mukti’ promised through prescribed rites

Characters & Entities

• Vipras (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the importance of mantra-guided charity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links properly prescribed mantra-ritual (six-mantra preparation of gold) with dana and Brahmin-feeding, presenting it as an effective means to generate merit that aids a suffering soul’s release.

How does this verse explain help for the soul after death?

It implies that the living can support a departed being through ritually correct acts—especially charity and feeding vipras—so that the preta’s bondage eases and liberation becomes possible.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charitable giving and food-offerings in a disciplined, dharmic way (ideally guided by competent priests), emphasizing sincere intent and feeding the needy/Brahmins as a shraddha-aligned act.