Shloka 2

Preta-lakṣaṇa and Svapna-nimitta: Dream Portents of Preta-affliction and the Prescribed Remedies

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच / तेषां स्वरूपं वक्ष्यामि चिह्नं स्वप्नं यथातथम् / क्षुत्पिपासार्दितास्ते वै प्रविशेयुः स्ववेश्मनि

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca / teṣāṃ svarūpaṃ vakṣyāmi cihnaṃ svapnaṃ yathātatham / kṣutpipāsārditāste vai praviśeyuḥ svaveśmani

Translation

พระผู้เป็นเจ้าตรัสว่า—“เราจักบรรยายรูปแท้ เครื่องหมาย และลักษณะแห่งความฝันของเขาตามจริง; เมื่อถูกความหิวและกระหายบีบคั้น เขาย่อมเข้าไปยังเรือนของตนเองแท้ทีเดียว”

Word by Word

• श्रीभगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• श्रीभगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + भगवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• स्वरूपम्: true form, nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• चिह्नम्: sign, mark
• चिह्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वप्नम्: dream
• स्वप्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथातथम्: exactly as it is
• यथातथम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-तथा (अव्यय; यथा + तथा)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial pair: 'as it is, in due order/accurately')

• क्षुत्पिपासार्दिताः: afflicted by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्पिपासार्दिताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत्-पिपासा-अर्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अर्द् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying te)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis)

• प्रविशेयुः: would enter / may enter
• प्रविशेयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्ववेश्मनि: into their own house
• स्ववेश्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + वेश्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Bhagavān (Lord Vishnu)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The subtle being experiences deprivation (hunger/thirst) and remains bound to former attachments, manifesting in dreams and signs until karmic/ritual resolution.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma-śarīra continuity and vāsanā-bandha (bondage by latent impressions) shaping post-mortem experience.

Application: Treat dreams/omens around bereavement with sobriety; respond through prescribed rites, charity, and remembrance rather than fear or superstition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household/home

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta-lakṣaṇa, svapna (dreams), kṣut-pipāsā (hunger/thirst), and household visitation motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Preta (implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing the preta’s form, signs, and dreams in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a systematic teaching: the Lord will explain the preta’s condition through observable “signs” and inner experiences like dreams, helping understand post-death states and why rites are prescribed.

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

It indicates a transitional state marked by distress (hunger and thirst) in which the being may still move toward familiar places—such as its own home—before progressing further in the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages timely, respectful post-death observances and compassionate conduct, recognizing that unresolved attachment and distress are central themes in the Purana’s guidance on death rites and ethical living.