Shloka 37

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

तापसीं च सगोत्रां च अगम्यां ये भजन्ति हि / भवन्ति ते महाप्रेता अम्बुजानि हरन्ति ये

Transliteration

tāpasīṃ ca sagotrāṃ ca agamyāṃ ye bhajanti hi / bhavanti te mahāpretā ambujāni haranti ye

Translation

Sesiapa yang bersetubuh dengan wanita pertapa (tāpasī), dengan wanita segotra (satu keturunan), atau dengan wanita yang terlarang (agamya), sesungguhnya menjadi preta agung. Demikian juga, sesiapa yang mencuri bunga teratai menjadi preta agung.

Word by Word

• तापसीम्: a female ascetic
• तापसीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सगोत्राम्: of the same lineage (same gotra)
• सगोत्राम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-गोत्रा (प्रातिपदिक; स + गोत्र)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying तापसीम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अगम्याम्: one who must not be approached (sexually forbidden)
• अगम्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-गम्या (प्रातिपदिक; गम् धातु + यत्, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying तापसीम्)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भजन्ति: consort with / engage in
• भजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

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

• भवन्ति: become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; अन्वादेश (correlative pronoun to ये)

• महाप्रेताः: great pretas (mighty ghosts)
• महाप्रेताः: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक; महा + प्रेत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• अम्बुजानि: lotuses
• अम्बुजानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक; अम्बु + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• हरन्ति: steal / carry off
• हरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe adharma—sexual violation of forbidden categories and theft of sacred/pure objects—ripens into preta-condition.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha through rāga-dveṣa and adharma; fall into lower states due to tamasic action.

Application: Maintain sexual ethics (avoid agamya relations), respect ascetic status and gotra boundaries, refrain from theft—especially of items tied to worship or purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of preta-causing sins and preta-yoni causes (contextual parallel within 2.27); Garuda Purana: teachings on sexual misconduct (strī-saṅga/agamya) leading to naraka/preta outcomes (general internal theme)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'preta' state in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the preta-state to warn that certain grave violations of dharma—especially forbidden sexual relations and theft—can lead to a distressed post-death condition described in the Preta Kanda.

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

By linking specific actions to becoming a mahāpreta, the verse frames the after-death journey as morally conditioned: misconduct imprints consequences that manifest as suffering and instability in the subtle post-mortem state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clear ethical boundaries in relationships (avoid forbidden unions, respect lineage and vows of renunciation) and practice non-stealing—even of offerings or sacred/communal items—treating them as part of dharma.