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Shloka 1

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

प्रेतकल्पे पञ्चप्रेतोपाख्यानं नाम सप्तमो ऽद्यायः गरुड उवाच / स्वामिन्कस्याधिकारो ऽत्र सर्व एवौर्ध्वदेहिके / क्रियाः कतिविधाः प्रोक्ता वदैतत्सर्वमेव मे

Transliteration

pretakalpe pañcapretopākhyānaṃ nāma saptamo 'dyāyaḥ garuḍa uvāca / svāminkasyādhikāro 'tra sarva evaurdhvadehike / kriyāḥ katividhāḥ proktā vadaitatsarvameva me

Translation

प्रेतकल्पे ‘पञ्चप्रेतोपाख्यानं’ नाम सप्तमोऽध्यायः। गरुड उवाच—स्वामिन्, अत्र और्ध्वदेहिकक्रियासु कस्य अधिकारः? क्रियाः कतिविधाः प्रोक्ताः? एतत्सर्वं मे वद।

Word by Word
प्रेतकल्पेin the Preta-kalpa section
प्रेतकल्पे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेतकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतानां कल्पः)
पञ्चप्रेतोपाख्यानम्the narrative of the five pretas
पञ्चप्रेतोपाख्यानम्:
Karta (Title/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्च (संख्या) + प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (पञ्चानां प्रेतानाम् उपाख्यानम्)
नामnamed
नाम:
Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formसंज्ञासूचक-अव्यय — indeclinable indicating name/title
सप्तमःseventh
सप्तमः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular (ordinal)
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
Karta (Title/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular
गरुडःGaruda
गरुडः:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person singular
स्वामिन्O Lord
स्वामिन्:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Vocative singular
कस्यof whom
कस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंस, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular (of whom/whose)
अधिकारःauthority; eligibility
अधिकारः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय — adverb (here)
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural
एवindeed; only
एव:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय — restrictive particle (only/indeed)
और्ध्वदेहिकेin the post-death rites
और्ध्वदेहिके:
Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootऔर्ध्वदेहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular (in post-death rites)
क्रियाःrites; actions
क्रियाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural
कतिhow many
कति:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकति (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रश्नवाचक, अव्ययवत्/अव्यक्त-रूप — interrogative quantifier (how many)
विधाःkinds; types
विधाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootविध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural (kinds) agreeing with क्रियाः (sense)
प्रोक्ताःare said; have been taught
प्रोक्ताः:
Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्रोक्त (कृदन्त, √वच् with प्र-)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — past participle agreeing with क्रियाः
वदtell
वद:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√वद् (धातु)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperative, 2nd person singular
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular
सर्वम्all
सर्वम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular agreeing with एतत्
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय — emphatic/restrictive particle
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formचतुर्थी, एकवचन — Dative singular (to me/for me)
Speaker

Garuḍa (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Viṣṇu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper authority (adhikāra) and classification of post-death rites are essential for dharmic continuity and welfare of the departed.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as sustaining order (ṛta/dharma) across life and death; right action as purifier and supporter of the soul’s transition.

Application: Learn rites from qualified sources; clarify responsibilities within family/community; approach death-care with informed, compassionate discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: ūrdhva-dehika kriyā classifications and adhikāra discussions across subsequent chapters; Five pretas narrative as prelude to ritual instruction

Characters & Entities
G
Garuḍa
L
Lord Viṣṇu
P
Preta (departed soul)

FAQs

This verse frames the teaching by asking for a complete account of the rites for the departed, indicating that correct performance and proper understanding of these rituals are a central concern of the Preta Kanda.

Indirectly: Garuḍa’s question highlights that the departed person’s journey is linked with prescribed ritual actions (kriyāḥ) and their proper administration (adhikāra), setting up the doctrine that rites support the dead in the post-mortem transition.

Approach funeral and remembrance rites with clarity about responsibility and procedure—seek qualified guidance, perform duties with sincerity, and treat post-death observances as dharmic obligations rather than mere custom.

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