Shloka 9

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

दष्ट्रिभ्यश्च पशुभ्यश्च वृक्षादिपतनान्मृताः / उदक्यामूतकीशूद्रारजकीसङ्गदूषिताः

Transliteration

daṣṭribhyaśca paśubhyaśca vṛkṣādipatanānmṛtāḥ / udakyāmūtakīśūdrārajakīsaṅgadūṣitāḥ

Translation

Mereka yang mati akibat gigitan, serangan binatang, atau jatuh dari pokok; dan mereka yang menjadi najis melalui pergaulan dengan wanita yang sedang haid, dengan orang buangan, dengan Shudra, atau dengan wanita pencuci pakaian.

Word by Word

• दष्ट्रिभ्यः: from biters (venomous creatures)
• दष्ट्रिभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दष्ट्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• पशुभ्यः: from animals
• पशुभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• वृक्षादि-पतनात्: from falling from trees etc.
• वृक्षादि-पतनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष + आदि + पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः: वृक्षादि (वृक्ष-प्रभृति) + पतन = ‘falling from trees etc.’

• मृताः: dead
• मृताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• उदक्या-मूतकी-शूद्रा-रजकी-सङ्ग-दूषिताः: defiled by contact with a menstruating woman, a mūtaki, a śūdra woman, or a washerwoman
• उदक्या-मूतकी-शूद्रा-रजकी-सङ्ग-दूषिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक्या + मूतकी + शूद्रा + रजकी + सङ्ग + दूषित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः: (उदक्या/मूतकी/शूद्रा/रजकी)-सङ्ग (तत्पुरुष) + दूषित (क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP) = ‘defiled by association with …’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain contacts/associations and accidental deaths are treated as ritually defiling, impacting rites and post-death status.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as social-ritual order governing transitions; purity rules as conventional means to regulate grief, hygiene, and community boundaries.

Application: Observe one’s śāstra-guided purity disciplines; treat death/accident scenes with ritual caution; avoid harmful stigmatization while maintaining prescribed observances.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.40 (continuation of inauspicious death list; culminates in narayana-bali instruction)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual impurity (aśauca) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists deaths and contacts considered defiling, indicating that the Purana closely links post-death rites and spiritual welfare with observing prescribed purity rules.

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

By classifying certain deaths/conditions as defiled, it implies that the departed may require careful, properly performed rites (and avoidance of impurity by relatives) to support the preta’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat bereavement rituals with seriousness: follow local dharma-śāstra-informed funeral practices, maintain cleanliness and restraint during mourning, and seek guidance from competent priests for rites when death is sudden or considered ritually complex.