Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 98
Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence
स्तोत्रैस्तुष्टाव पक्षीश दण्डवत्प्रणनाम माम् / ते ऽपि तेपुस्ततः प्रेता आश्चर्योत्फुल्लचक्षुषः
stotraistuṣṭāva pakṣīśa daṇḍavatpraṇanāma mām / te 'pi tepustataḥ pretā āścaryotphullacakṣuṣaḥ
“Sa pamamagitan ng mga himno, pinuri niya ako, O panginoon ng mga ibon, at nagpatirapa sa ganap na pagpapatirapa (daṇḍavat) sa akin. Pagkaraan, ang mga preta man ay nagsagawa ng tapa, nakadilat ang mga mata sa pagkamangha.”
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Stotra (praise) and pranama (surrender) please the Lord; divine contact can inspire even the fallen to tapas and inner change.
Vedantic Theme: Anugraha (grace) and bhakti as purifiers; transformation of samskaras through darshana and surrender.
Application: Adopt daily stotra and namaskara; practice humility through physical acts of reverence; let awe become disciplined effort (tapas) rather than mere emotion.
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on Vishnu devotion as purifier even for pretas (contextual)
FAQs
This verse links praise and reverent prostration with a transformative effect: devotion (stotra and namaskara) inspires even pretas to turn toward tapas, indicating that devotional acts can redirect consciousness after death.
It portrays pretas as responsive beings capable of inner change; witnessing devotion and divine presence, they become astonished and begin tapas, suggesting the preta condition is not merely punitive but can become a stage for spiritual reorientation.
Cultivate regular stotra-patha and sincere namaskara; the verse emphasizes that devotion and disciplined practice can uplift one’s own mind and is traditionally believed to benefit departed souls through a devotional atmosphere.