Shloka 49
निरुक्तिमेषां नाम्नां वै प्रेता वदत मा चिरम् / श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / एवमुक्तास्तु विप्रेण पृथगुत्तरमब्रुवन्
niruktimeṣāṃ nāmnāṃ vai pretā vadata mā ciram / śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / evamuktāstu vipreṇa pṛthaguttaramabruvan
निरुक्तिमेषां नाम्नां वै प्रेताः शीघ्रं वदत मा चिरम्। श्रीकृष्ण उवाच—एवमुक्तास्तु विप्रेण पृथगुत्तरमब्रुवन्॥
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (narrative marker: ‘śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca’)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Names and states of pretas are explained as consequences of specific actions; moral causality is to be learned through their self-report.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (the lawful linkage of action and result) within saṃsāra; implicit vairāgya through hearing of consequences.
Application: Treat ritual and ethical duties seriously; reflect on consequences before acting; use śāstra-based inquiry to correct conduct.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: dialogues where pretas narrate causes of their condition (name-as-karma marker)
FAQs
This verse frames a teaching method: key terms about the post-death condition are clarified through their ‘nirukta’, so practitioners understand the technical vocabulary used in rites and afterlife descriptions.
Indirectly, it shows that the text proceeds by questioning pretas about specific names/terms—indicating a structured explanation of the preta-condition and related after-death concepts.
Use clear definitions of ritual and afterlife terms before performing śrāddha or pinda-dāna; understanding the terminology helps ensure the intent and procedure are carried out correctly.