Shloka 27

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

Kṛṣṇa-bali & Nārāyaṇa-bali

Devanagari script

कृत्वा कृष्णबलिं पूर्वं वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः क्रियाः / सर्वोपद्रवहीनस्तु सर्वसौख्यमवाप्नुयात् / उत्तमं लोकमाप्नोति ज्ञातिप्राधान्यमेव च

Transliteration

kṛtvā kṛṣṇabaliṃ pūrvaṃ vṛṣotsargādikāḥ kriyāḥ / sarvopadravahīnastu sarvasaukhyamavāpnuyāt / uttamaṃ lokamāpnoti jñātiprādhānyameva ca

Translation

เมื่อบูชา “กฤษณะ-พลี” ก่อน แล้วจึงประกอบพิธีเริ่มด้วยการปล่อยโคผู้ (วฤษภโอตสรรคะ) และพิธีอื่น ๆ ผู้กระทำย่อมพ้นจากเคราะห์ร้ายทั้งปวง ได้รับความสุขทุกประการ เข้าถึงโลกอันประเสริฐ และได้เกียรติยศเป็นใหญ่ในหมู่ญาติด้วย

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (पूर्वकर्म/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: कृ; अर्थे: पूर्वकर्म (having done)

• कृष्णबलिम्: offering to Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णबलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य बलिः)

• पूर्वम्: first, beforehand
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः: such as the bull-release (rite) etc.
• वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘क्रियाः’ इति; समासः (वृषोत्सर्गः + आदि) तत्पुरुष-प्रायः, ‘-आदिक’ प्रत्ययार्थः (etc.)

• क्रियाः: rites, actions
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (of implied performance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• सर्वोपद्रवहीनः: free from all troubles
• सर्वोपद्रवहीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्ता-सम्बन्धि); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् उपद्रवानाम् हीनः)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• सर्वसौख्यम्: all happiness
• सर्वसौख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वं सौख्यम्)

• अवाप्नुयात्: may obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: आप्; उपसर्ग: अव-

• उत्तमम्: highest, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘लोकम्’

• लोकम्: world, realm
• लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: आप्

• ज्ञातिप्राधान्यम्: pre-eminence among relatives
• ज्ञातिप्राधान्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राधान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञातीनां प्राधान्यम्)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After preliminary kṛṣṇa-bali; in conjunction with vṛṣotsarga and allied śānti rites (as prescribed).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya/naimittika rites performed in proper order remove upadravas and generate puṇya leading to sukha, higher loka, and familial esteem.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purificatory and loka-sādhana; dharma as a means to citta-śuddhi and favorable gati (without claiming it as ultimate mokṣa-cause).

Application: Perform prescribed ancestral/propitiatory rites with correct sequence and intention; treat ritual as both social-ethical duty and spiritual hygiene.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-prakaraṇa passages on śrāddha-phala and upadrava-śānti; Garuda Purana sections describing vṛṣotsarga and bali as pitṛ-prīṇana

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Kṛṣṇa-bali
• Vṛṣotsarga
• Jñātis (relatives/kinsmen)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kṛṣṇa-bali and vṛṣotsarga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that performing Kṛṣṇa-bali first, followed by vṛṣotsarga and related rites, removes afflictions and yields comprehensive well-being, indicating these are considered high-merit observances within the Preta Kanda’s ritual framework.

How does this verse explain the soul’s path or post-death outcome?

Rather than detailing punishments or Yama’s routes, the verse links correct ritual performance to an auspicious post-mortem result—attaining an “excellent world” (uttama loka)—implying elevation of destiny through prescribed rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes orderly, tradition-based observance of family death rites (as taught in the text): perform key offerings in the proper sequence and with sincerity, aiming at welfare (śānti), reduced distress, and familial harmony.