Shloka 14
Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence
झङ्कारेषु च झिल्लीनां घूकानां घूत्कृतेष्वपि / दत्तकर्णः कुनीलाङ्गश्चचाल पदपञ्चकम्
jhaṅkāreṣu ca jhillīnāṃ ghūkānāṃ ghūtkṛteṣvapi / dattakarṇaḥ kunīlāṅgaścacāla padapañcakam
Di tengah bunyi nyaring cengkerik dan pekikan burung hantu, dengan telinga tegak kerana takut, si bertubuh gelap melangkah ke hadapan—hanya lima langkah sahaja.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)
Concept: Fear and constriction arise when one approaches the domain shaped by pāpa and preta-influences; the environment itself mirrors karmic consequence.
Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra-bhaya and the mind’s projection under tamas; the need for sattva/śraddhā as protection.
Application: Cultivate steadiness (dhairya) and protective remembrance (e.g., Hari-smaraṇa) when confronting fear; avoid tamasic places/acts that intensify anxiety.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: wilderness/cremation-ground margin (implied)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of fearful sounds/omens in preta-mārga contexts (general motif); Garuda Purana: Yama-dūta and preta-bhaya narrative framing (general motif)
FAQs
They symbolize the dread and disorientation of the preta in liminal spaces after death, emphasizing the insecurity of the departed without proper rites and guidance.
It depicts the preta’s hesitant, fear-driven movement—progressing only a few steps—showing that the post-death journey can feel oppressive and psychologically intense.
It encourages timely śrāddha and supportive remembrance of the departed, and reminds the living to cultivate dharma so the mind is less fearful at life’s end.