Vamana Purana — Nakshatra-Purusha Vrata, Shloka 65

The Nakshatra-Purusha Vrata: Worship of Vishnu’s Body as the Constellations

Devanagari script

तत्र पिण्डप्रदानेन प्रेतभावादहं सखे मुक्तस्तु सर्वदातृणां यास्यामि सहलोकताम्

Transliteration

tatra piṇḍapradānena pretabhāvādahaṃ sakhe muktastu sarvadātṛṇāṃ yāsyāmi sahalokatām

Translation

“There, by the offering of a piṇḍa, I, O friend, have been released from the condition of a preta. Now liberated, I shall go to the world attained by all givers (the charitable), to dwell in their company.”

Speakers

• A liberated preta (or one speaking from the preta-condition) addressing a companion (‘sakhe’)
• within the tīrtha-māhātmya narration.

Primary Deities

• Yama (Preta-rāja)
• Pitṛs (ancestral spirits)

Key Themes

• Śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna efficacy
• Preta-mokṣa (release from preta-state)
• Merit of dāna (charity)
• Tīrtha-māhātmya (place-based salvific power)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What does ‘release from preta-bhāva’ signify in Purāṇic ritual theology?

It denotes the transition of the departed from an unsettled post-mortem condition (preta) toward the stabilized ancestral status (pitṛ) and onward to a meritorious realm. Piṇḍa-dāna is presented as a key rite enabling this passage, especially when performed at a praised tīrtha.

Why is the destination described as the ‘world of all givers’ (sarva-dātṝṇām)?

The verse frames charity (dāna) as a universal merit-category: those who give attain a shared auspicious realm. The liberated spirit claims entry into that same realm, implying that the piṇḍa-offering functions as a potent act of dāna and śrāddha combined.

Does this verse imply that the tīrtha itself is necessary, or only the rite?

The wording ‘tatra’ (“there”) keeps the tīrtha central: the rite’s fruit is amplified by location. In tīrtha-māhātmya sections, the Purāṇa typically teaches a synergy—proper rite performed at the praised place yields exceptional results.