Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / साधु पृष्टं त्वया तार्क्ष्य मानुषाणां हिताय वै / शृणुचावहितो भूत्वा यद्वच्मि प्रेतलक्षणम्

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā tārkṣya mānuṣāṇāṃ hitāya vai / śṛṇucāvahito bhūtvā yadvacmi pretalakṣaṇam

Translation

พระศรีกฤษณะตรัสว่า “โอ้ตารกษยะ (ครุฑ) เจ้าถามได้ดีนัก เพื่อประโยชน์แก่หมู่มนุษย์แท้ ๆ เพราะฉะนั้นจงตั้งใจฟัง เราจักกล่าวลักษณะของเปรตให้”

Word by Word

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + कृष्ण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

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

• साधु: well; good
• साधु: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रशंसा-अव्यय (approbative adverb)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• तार्क्ष्य: O Tārkṣya (Garuda)
• तार्क्ष्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• मानुषाणाम्: of humans
• मानुषाणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• हिताय: for the welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

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

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• यत्: what (that which)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वच्मि: I say
• वच्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रेतलक्षणम्: the characteristics of a preta
• प्रेतलक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत-लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत + लक्षण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as the instructing Lord, identified with Viṣṇu in the Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right questioning and attentive listening (śravaṇa) enable transmission of subtle dharma about preta-lakṣaṇa for the benefit of humanity.

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāra (fitness) and śravaṇa as prerequisites for transformative knowledge; compassion as motive for śāstra-teaching.

Application: Approach death/afterlife teachings with seriousness, humility, and focused attention; use the knowledge to guide ethical living and proper rites.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: sections enumerating preta-lakṣaṇa, preta-yātrā, and remedial rites/dāna

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of understanding preta-lakṣaṇa in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse frames the teaching as guidance meant for human welfare, introducing the topic of the preta’s characteristics so people can understand post-death conditions and the need for proper dharmic rites.

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

It signals a transition into a technical description of the preta state—an intermediate condition of the departed—by having the Lord instruct Garuḍa to listen carefully to the forthcoming explanation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach teachings on death, śrāddha, and remembrance of the departed with attentiveness and sincerity, and treat such knowledge as meant to support ethical living and responsible observance of rites.