Shloka 8

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

आसीत्किलकिलाशब्दस्तस्मिन् गच्छती पार्थिवे / तत्रतत्र च विप्रेन्द्रैः स्तूयमानः समन्ततः

Transliteration

āsītkilakilāśabdastasmin gacchatī pārthive / tatratatra ca viprendraiḥ stūyamānaḥ samantataḥ

Translation

เมื่อกษัตริย์ผู้นั้นเสด็จดำเนินไป ก็เกิดเสียงโห่ร้องอื้ออึงด้วยความปลื้มปีติ และ ณ ที่นั้นที่นี่ พระพราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐต่างสรรเสริญพระองค์จากทุกทิศทุกทาง

Word by Word

• āsīt: was/arose
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kilakilā-śabdaḥ: a clamorous sound
• kilakilā-śabdaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kilakilā (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (किलकिला-रूपः शब्दः)

• tasmin: when he/that (king)
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• gacchati: was going
• gacchati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pārthive: in/with the king
• pārthive: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘पार्थिव’ = राजा (king)

• tatra-tatra: here and there
• tatra-tatra: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय) + tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (reduplicated adverb: here and there)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• vipra-indraiḥ: by foremost Brahmins
• vipra-indraiḥ: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विप्राणाम् इन्द्राः = श्रेष्ठ-विप्राः)

• stūyamānaḥ: being praised
• stūyamānaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stu (धातु) (शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कर्मणि कृदन्तः (present passive participle)

• samantataḥ: on all sides
• samantataḥ: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: परितोऽर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Public honor and brahminical stuti indicate alignment of rulership with dharma; social harmony is reinforced through recognition of virtue.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda (praise/benediction) as a carrier of saṃskāra and social cohesion; dharma affirmed through communal witness.

Application: Seek counsel and ethical validation from learned, principled voices; build cultures that celebrate virtue rather than aggression.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: processional route (unspecified)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana passages where brāhmaṇa-stuti and satkāra are marks of dharmic order (motif-level)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins (Vipras)
• Departed person (Pārthiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of auspicious sounds like 'kilakilā' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats such sounds as favorable omens accompanying a person of merit, indicating supportive forces and a smoother passage for the departed.

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

It depicts the departed moving onward and receiving praise from eminent Brahmins, suggesting that punya and proper rites generate spiritual support and recognition on the journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and support sacred duties (charity, truthfulness, respect for learned elders), and perform śrāddha/antyeṣṭi with care—actions believed to aid the departed’s onward course.