Shloka 12

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

तद्वनं मनुज व्याघ्रः सभृत्यबलवाहनः / लीलया लोडयामास सूदयन्विविधान्मृगान्

Transliteration

tadvanaṃ manuja vyāghraḥ sabhṛtyabalavāhanaḥ / līlayā loḍayāmāsa sūdayanvividhānmṛgān

Translation

అప్పుడు ఆ మనుజవ్యాఘ్రుడు సేవకులు, సైన్యం, వాహనాలతో కూడి, ఆ అరణ్యంలో లీలగా సంచరించి, వివిధ మృగాలను వధించెను.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वनम्)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मनुज: O man
• मनुज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन-पदम्

• व्याघ्रः: tiger (i.e., best)
• व्याघ्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; उपमानार्थे (मनुज-व्याघ्रः = ‘tiger among men’)

• सभृत्यबलवाहनः: with attendants, troops, and vehicles
• सभृत्यबलवाहनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + भृत्य + बल + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘सहितः’ (भृत्यैः बलैः वाहनैः सह) विशेषणम् (व्याघ्रः/राजा)

• लीलया: playfully, as a sport
• लीलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• लोडयामास: wandered/roamed
• लोडयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लोडय् (धातु √लोडय्/लोड् ‘to roam/wander’)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सूदयन्: killing
• सूदयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूद् (धातु √सूद्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भावे (while killing)

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (मृगान्)

• मृगान्: deer/animals
• मृगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hiṃsā undertaken as ‘sport’ indicates tamasic/rajasic drift; power without restraint erodes dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Rajas (restless pursuit) and tamas (cruelty/insensitivity) bind the jīva; compassion (dayā) is a purifier.

Application: Examine entertainment that depends on harm; cultivate non-violence and responsible use of authority.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana ethical strands: hiṃsā and its karmic repercussions are repeatedly stressed in later didactic sections (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Manuja-vyaghra (a mighty man/king implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of hunting (himsa) in Garuda Purana teachings?

This verse depicts killing animals as a casual sport, setting up the karmic theme that deliberate violence—especially done for pleasure—creates negative results that follow the doer beyond death.

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

By highlighting pleasure-driven slaughter, it points to the Garuda Purana’s broader narrative logic: actions (karma) shape post-death experiences, and violent deeds become causes for suffering in the preta (after-death) journey described in this kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid needless harm to living beings, cultivate compassion, and treat power and leisure responsibly—since choices made “for sport” can still carry serious ethical and karmic weight.