Shloka 18

Preta-Mokṣa Upāya: Svapna-Lakṣaṇa, Pitṛ-Doṣa, and Prescribed Rites

Kṛṣṇa-bali & Nārāyaṇa-bali

Devanagari script

एवं ब्रुवन्ति ते प्रेताः पुनर्याभ्यं समाश्रिताः / तत्रस्थानां भवेन्मुक्तिः स्वकाले कर्मसंक्षये

Transliteration

evaṃ bruvanti te pretāḥ punaryābhyaṃ samāśritāḥ / tatrasthānāṃ bhavenmuktiḥ svakāle karmasaṃkṣaye

Translation

యమలోకాన్ని ఆశ్రయించిన ఆ ప్రేతాలు ఈ విధంగా పలుకుతాయి. అక్కడ ఉన్నవారికి కర్మలు నశించినప్పుడు, తగిన సమయంలో ముక్తి లభిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• ब्रुवन्ति: they say
• ब्रुवन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: those/they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रेताः: departed spirits (pretas)
• प्रेताः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• याभ्यम्: to whom (two)
• याभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) अथवा सप्तमी (7th/Locative) रूप; सर्वनाम; अर्थतः चतुर्थी (to whom) अधिक संगच्छते

• समाश्रिताः: having resorted/attached
• समाश्रिताः: Karta (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-śrita (कृदन्त; √śri/श्रि (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग: सम्+आ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: there)

• स्थानाम्: of those staying there
• स्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• भवेत्: would be/occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मुक्तिः: release/liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वकाले: at the proper time
• स्वकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-kāla (प्रातिपदिक; sva + kāla)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य कालः = स्वकालः)

• कर्मसंक्षये: upon the exhaustion of karma
• कर्मसंक्षये: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma-saṃkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक; karma + saṃkṣaya)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः संक्षयः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mukti for those stationed there occurs in due time through karma-kshaya (exhaustion of accumulated results).

Vedantic Theme: Bondage persists while prarabdha/karma-fruits remain; release is linked to cessation of karmic momentum (karma-kshaya).

Application: Cultivate karma-reducing disciplines (bhakti, japa, dana, truthfulness) and perform proper rites for the departed to ease transitional suffering and support auspicious passage.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: otherworldly court/abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta speech, Yama’s domain, and timing of release based on karma (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-saṁkṣaya (exhaustion of karma) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that release for pretas is tied to karmic depletion—mukti arises when the stored results that bind the being to Yama’s realm are fully worked out.

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

It depicts pretas speaking from within Yama’s jurisdiction and emphasizes a time-bound process: the after-death condition continues until karmic residues are exhausted, after which release becomes possible.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically and reduce harmful karmic accumulation; additionally, perform appropriate śrāddha/ancestral rites with sincerity, keeping focus on dharma and inner purification rather than fear.