Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

पुरा त्रेतायुगे तात राजासीद्बभ्रुवाहनः / महोदयपुरे रम्ये धर्मनिष्ठो महाबलः

Transliteration

purā tretāyuge tāta rājāsīdbabhruvāhanaḥ / mahodayapure ramye dharmaniṣṭho mahābalaḥ

Translation

กาลก่อนในยุคเตรตา โอ้ลูกเอ๋ย มีพระราชาพระนามว่า บัภรุวาหนะ ทรงครองนครมหโทยปุระอันรื่นรมย์ ทรงมั่นคงในธรรมและทรงเดชานุภาพยิ่ง

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• त्रेतायुगे: in the Tretā age
• त्रेतायुगे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता-युग (प्रातिपदिक; त्रेता + युग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तात: O dear one (son)
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बभ्रुवाहनः: Babhruvāhana
• बभ्रुवाहनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बभ्रु-वाहन (प्रातिपदिक; बभ्रु + वाहन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• महोदयपुरे: in Mahodayapura
• महोदयपुरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदय-पुर (प्रातिपदिक; महोदय + पुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• रम्ये: pleasant/beautiful
• रम्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• धर्मनिष्ठः: steadfast in dharma
• धर्मनिष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Exemplary kingship rooted in dharma serves as a model; narrative exemplum (itihāsa-style) to teach consequences and proper conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as sustaining order (ṛta/dharma) within saṃsāra; role-based righteousness (svadharma) as preparatory purification.

Application: Adopt principled leadership and civic responsibility; uphold justice, charity, and protection of subjects as dharmic duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: narrative exempla of kings and donors used to illustrate preta-remedies and dharma-phala

Characters & Entities

• Babhruvāhana
• Mahodayapura
• Tretā Yuga

FAQs

What is the importance of introducing a righteous king in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets up a moral frame: the Purana often teaches afterlife and ritual ethics through exemplary rulers, showing dharma as the foundation for one’s fate and legacy.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it establishes that dharma (righteous conduct) is central; the surrounding narrative typically uses such characters to illustrate how actions influence post-death outcomes described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma in daily decisions—integrity, duty, and restraint—since the Garuda Purana repeatedly links ethical living with peace in this life and favorable consequences beyond death.