Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

सूष्वाप वायुना तत्र सेव्यामातस्तदा क्षणम् / क्षणं सुप्ते नृपे तत्र प्रेतो वै प्रेतवाहनः

Transliteration

sūṣvāpa vāyunā tatra sevyāmātastadā kṣaṇam / kṣaṇaṃ supte nṛpe tatra preto vai pretavāhanaḥ

Translation

అక్కడ వాయువు మృదువుగా ఊపిరాడగా, తల్లి సేవ పొందినట్టుగా అతడు క్షణమాత్రం నిద్రించాడు. ఆ చిన్న క్షణంలో రాజు నిద్రించుచుండగా, అక్కడ ప్రేతుడు—ప్రేతవాహనుడు—ఉపస్థితుడయ్యాడు.

Word by Word

• सूष्वाप: slept
• सूष्वाप: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• वायुना: by the wind
• वायुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• सेव्यामातः: the mother of Sevyā
• सेव्यामातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेव्या (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सेव्यायाः माता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial accusative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial accusative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुप्ते: when (he) was asleep
• सुप्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (कृदन्त; स्वप्-धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नृपे: in/when the king (was)
• नृपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• प्रेतः: a ghost/spirit
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रेतवाहनः: the carrier/vehicle of the ghost
• प्रेतवाहनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: प्रेतस्य वाहनः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The unseen proximity of death and the preta-condition; the living can be touched by afterlife forces even in ordinary moments.

Vedantic Theme: anityatva (impermanence) and the subtle interpenetration of gross and subtle realms (sthula–sukshma).

Application: Cultivate wakeful discernment (apramada), remembrance of mortality, and timely rites/devotion to avert preta-affliction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: liminal roadside/forest-like setting (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa narratives on preta-encounter and liminal sleep/delusion motifs (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Preta-vahana

FAQs

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

This verse hints at the transitional condition after death (preta), showing the departed presence and movement in subtle ways, reinforcing why rites for the preta are emphasized in the Preta Kanda.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By depicting the preta’s presence during a moment of sleep, the text suggests a liminal, subtle-body mode of experience where the departed can appear or be “carried” (pretavāhana), indicating movement and agency beyond the gross body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages mindful observance of post-death rites and ethical living, treating death as a transition requiring support (prayers, śrāddha, and remembrance) rather than as an absolute end.