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Shloka 28

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

तत्सर्वं विफलं तात मम दैवादुपागतम् / यथा मे निष्फलं जातं सुकृतं तद्वदामि ते

Transliteration

tatsarvaṃ viphalaṃ tāta mama daivādupāgatam / yathā me niṣphalaṃ jātaṃ sukṛtaṃ tadvadāmi te

Translation

โอ้ลูกเอ๋ย ด้วยแรงแห่งชะตาที่มาถึงข้าพเจ้า สิ่งทั้งปวงนั้นกลับไร้ผลสำหรับข้าพเจ้า บุญกุศลของข้าพเจ้ากลายเป็นหมันอย่างไร—ข้าพเจ้าจะบอกแก่เจ้า।

Word by Word
तत्that
तत्:
Qualifier/Determiner
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)
सर्वम्all (of it)
सर्वम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्सर्वम् = ‘all that’ (कर्मधारय/निर्धारण)
विफलम्fruitless
विफलम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म) as predicate
TypeAdjective
Rootविफल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; predicate adjective
तातdear one/son
तात:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootतात (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
ममmy
मम:
Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
दैवात्from fate
दैवात्:
Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
TypeNoun
Rootदैव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘from fate/by destiny’
उपागतम्has come upon (me)
उपागतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म) as predicate participle
TypeVerb
Rootउप√गम् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘come upon/arrived’
यथाhow/just as
यथा:
Clause connector
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formसम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार (as/how)
मेmy/for me
मे:
Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)
निष्फलम्fruitless
निष्फलम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म) as predicate
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective
जातम्has become
जातम्:
Kriya (verbal predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘become/occurred’
सुकृतम्merit (good deed)
सुकृतम्:
Karta/Karma (topic)
TypeNoun
Rootसु- + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘good deed/merit’
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; object of वदामि
वदामिI tell/say
वदामि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवद् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formचतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (enclitic)
Speaker

A suffering preta (departed soul) narrating its condition to an addressed listener

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit can become ineffective when obstructed by missing requisite conditions (especially post-death rites and proper continuity of dharma).

Vedantic Theme: Karma is conditional and finite; reliance on karma alone is unstable, pointing toward higher refuge (ultimately moksha/bhakti).

Application: Do not assume good deeds automatically secure post-mortem welfare; ensure dharmic completeness (including end-of-life planning and rites) and cultivate inner spiritual practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue setting (court/assembly implied by address)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated insistence that absence of shraddha prolongs pretatva; Garuda Purana: discussions of daiva vs purushakara in karmaphala (general)

Characters & Entities
P
Preta
D
Daiva (Fate)

FAQs

It suggests that a being can experience a condition where past good deeds do not yield their expected protective or uplifting results, due to overpowering destiny and the consequences ripening at death.

It reflects the preta’s lament that, in the post-death condition, suffering can dominate and the soul may feel deprived of the support of prior merit—setting up the text’s emphasis on proper rites and dharmic living.

Do not rely only on “past goodness”; combine ethical conduct with timely duties (dharma) and, in the Garuda Purana framework, ensure proper death-related rites and remembrance practices for the departed.

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