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Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

राजोवाच / कथं मुक्ता भवन्तीह प्रेतत्वात्त्वं च ते ऽपि च / कथं चापि मया कार्यमौर्ध्वदैहिकमात्मनः / विधिना केन तत्कार्यं सर्वमेतद्वदस्व मे

Transliteration

rājovāca / kathaṃ muktā bhavantīha pretatvāttvaṃ ca te 'pi ca / kathaṃ cāpi mayā kāryamaurdhvadaihikamātmanaḥ / vidhinā kena tatkāryaṃ sarvametadvadasva me

Translation

พระราชาตรัสว่า: “สัตว์ทั้งหลายที่นี่พ้นจากภาวะเปรตได้อย่างไร—ทั้งท่านและผู้อื่นด้วย? และเราควรกระทำพิธีอูรธวไทหิกะ (พิธีหลังความตาย) เพื่อตนเองอย่างไร? ต้องทำตามวิธีบัญญัติใด? ขอท่านจงบอกทั้งหมดแก่เราเถิด”

Word by Word
राजाthe king
राजा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular
कथम्how?
कथम्:
Sambandha (Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
मुक्ताःfreed
मुक्ताः:
Karta (Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; मुच् धातु + क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)
भवन्तिbecome / are
भवन्ति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd person, Plural
इहhere
इह:
Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)
प्रेतत्वात्from the state of being a preta
प्रेतत्वात्:
Apadana (Source/अपाादान)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत + त्व)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Ablative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Nominative, Singular
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle: also/even)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
कथम्how?
कथम्:
Sambandha (Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle)
मयाby me
मया:
Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Instrumental, Singular
कार्यम्to be done / duty
कार्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातु + ण्यत्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विधेय (what is to be done)
और्ध्वदैहिकम्post-funeral (rites for the departed)
और्ध्वदैहिकम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootऔर्ध्व-दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक; ऊर्ध्व + दैहिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषणम् (of कार्यम्)
आत्मनःof myself
आत्मनः:
Sambandha (Possessor/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular
विधिनाby what procedure
विधिना:
Karana (Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootविधि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular
केनby which?
केन:
Karana (Instrument/Means)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Interrogative pronoun, Instrumental, Singular
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषणम् (of कार्यम्)
कार्यम्act to be done
कार्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातु + ण्यत्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular
सर्वम्all
सर्वम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषणम्
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular
वदस्वtell
वदस्व:
Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवद् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; Imperative, 2nd person, Singular (Ātmanepada)
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Dative, Singular
Speaker

The King (Rājā)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seeking the correct vidhi for āurdhvadaihika (post-death) rites and the means of release from pretatva.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as upāya for orderly passage after death; preparation for death with right rites and right knowledge.

Application: Learn and perform prescribed antyeṣṭi and śrāddha procedures under competent guidance; cultivate life practices that reduce preta-risk and support auspicious transition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: royal court (implied dialogue setting)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa and Śrāddha-kalpa sections: procedures for āurdhvadaihika, piṇḍa-dāna, preta-mokṣa (immediate narrative continuation).

Characters & Entities
P
Preta

FAQs

This verse frames aurdhvadaihika as a prescribed, rule-governed duty meant to address the preta-condition and guide the departed toward release, prompting an authoritative explanation of the correct ritual method.

It introduces the key problem of pretatva (the preta state) and asks how liberation from it occurs, implying that specific rites and injunction-based procedures play a role in the soul’s post-death transition.

Follow dharmic, tradition-based guidance for funeral and śrāddha observances (as appropriate to one’s lineage and śāstric counsel), and treat death-related duties with clarity, responsibility, and reverence.

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