Shloka 11

Preta-lakṣaṇa and Svapna-nimitta: Dream Portents of Preta-affliction and the Prescribed Remedies

Devanagari script

याचते यः परं स्वप्ने क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां च परिप्लुतः / तीर्थे गत्वा दहेत्पिण्डान्प्रेतदौषैर्न संशयः

Transliteration

yācate yaḥ paraṃ svapne kṣuttṛḍbhyāṃ ca pariplutaḥ / tīrthe gatvā dahetpiṇḍānpretadauṣairna saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Jika dalam mimpi terlihat seseorang yang dilanda lapar dan dahaga lalu merayu meminta dengan bersungguh-sungguh, maka hendaklah pergi ke tīrtha (tempat suci) dan mempersembahkan piṇḍa serta melaksanakannya menurut upacara; ini pasti kerana affliksi preta, tanpa syak.

Word by Word

• yācate: begs/asks
• yācate: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yāc (याच्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• paraṃ: another person
• paraṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• svapne: in a dream
• svapne: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• kṣut-tṛḍbhyām: by hunger and thirst
• kṣut-tṛḍbhyām: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + tṛḍ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), द्विवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (क्षुत् च तृट् च)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (and)

• pariplutaḥ: overwhelmed
• pariplutaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√plu (परि-प्लु) (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (overwhelmed/immersed)

• tīrthe: at a sacred place
• tīrthe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √gam (गम्) (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having gone’

• dahet: should burn/offer in fire
• dahet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dah (दह्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन

• piṇḍān: rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• piṇḍān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• preta-dauṣaiḥ: due to preta-caused faults/afflictions
• preta-dauṣaiḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + dauṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतस्य दौषाः)

• na: no/not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A dream of intense begging with hunger/thirst signals preta-affliction; dharmic response is piṇḍa-dāna at a tīrtha to relieve the departed and restore order.

Vedantic Theme: Compassionate action (dharma) as a means to harmonize karmic bonds between living and departed; subtle suffering is addressed through prescribed rites.

Application: If such recurring dreams occur, perform piṇḍa offerings (with guidance) at a recognized sacred place; interpret the dream as a call to fulfill ancestral obligations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: sacred ford/pilgrimage site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.23.13-14 (prāyaścitta, tarpaṇa, homa, recitation); Garuda Purana śrāddha sections on piṇḍa efficacy for preta-śānti

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Tirtha
• Pinda

FAQs

What is the importance of seeing a hungry, thirsty person begging in a dream in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats it as a significant omen indicating preta-related affliction, prompting remedial rites rather than ignoring the dream as meaningless.

How does this verse explain the condition of the departed soul (preta) and its needs?

It implies that an unquiet departed being may appear as suffering hunger and thirst, and that piṇḍa offerings at a tīrtha are prescribed to alleviate that condition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If such a dream recurs, one may respond with respectful remembrance and appropriate ancestral rites (such as śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna as per one’s tradition), cultivating gratitude and responsibility toward lineage.