Shloka 78

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

पुरः पत्तनखर्वाचान् खेटानपि मृतः क्षुधा / एतस्मात्पातकाद्विप्र मृतः प्रेतत्वमागतः

Transliteration

puraḥ pattanakharvācān kheṭānapi mṛtaḥ kṣudhā / etasmātpātakādvipra mṛtaḥ pretatvamāgataḥ

Translation

హే విప్రా, ముందుంచిన ఆహారాన్ని తిన్నాక కూడా, ఉమ్మినదానిని కూడా తిన్నాక కూడా అతడు ఆకలితో మరణించాడు; ఈ పాపం వల్ల ఆ మృతుడు ప్రేతత్వాన్ని పొందాడు।

Word by Word

• पुरः: in front/at the doors
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक adverb: in front/at the doors)

• पत्तनखर्वाचान्: town lowlings/dwarfish folk (as a group)
• पत्तनखर्वाचान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pattana-kharva-ācā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पत्तनस्य खर्वाः/खर्ववाचाः—‘town-dwarfs’/‘low-voiced townfolk’ as a class)

• खेटान्: villagers/hamlets (people of small settlements)
• खेटान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kheṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/also)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √mṛ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• क्षुधा: from hunger
• क्षुधा: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एतस्मात्: from this
• एतस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• पातकात्: sin/crime
• पातकात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मृतः: died
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √mṛ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रेतत्वम्: state of being a preta (ghost)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/भावसमास (प्रेतस्य भावः = प्रेतत्वम्)

• आगतः: reached/attained
• आगतः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √gam (धातु) + आ + क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त; भूत), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (has come/has reached)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe sin (pātaka) culminates in degrading death and results in preta-bhāva (restless post-mortem state).

Vedantic Theme: Karmic continuity beyond death; subtle body carries impressions leading to specific post-death states until purification/rites.

Application: Avoid cruelty/neglect that causes starvation; perform remedial dharma and, for the departed, ensure proper rites to prevent preta-condition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: definition and symptoms of preta-state; causes including papa and improper death; Garuda Purana Shraddha-khanda: rites that relieve preta and elevate to pitṛ/other states

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of the preta state in Garuda Purana?

This verse links specific sinful conduct and deprivation around food with becoming a preta, highlighting that unresolved karmic hunger and impurity can bind the departed to a restless intermediate condition.

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

It indicates that certain sins can obstruct a peaceful post-death transition, causing the deceased to remain as a preta—marked by distress such as hunger—rather than moving onward smoothly in the afterlife journey described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate purity and restraint regarding food, avoid degrading or harmful habits, and support dharmic feeding/charity; for the departed, follow prescribed rites like śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna to aid a peaceful transition.