Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 10

Entry into Yama’s Abode; Nature, Causes, and Signs of the Preta-State

Devanagari script

अन्यांश्च विविधान्रोगाञ्छिरो ऽर्तिं च विषूचिकाम् / चिन्त यन्ति सदा तेषामुच्छिष्टादिस्थलस्थिताः

Transliteration

anyāṃśca vividhānrogāñchiro 'rtiṃ ca viṣūcikām / cinta yanti sadā teṣāmucchiṣṭādisthalasthitāḥ

Translation

اور وہ طرح طرح کی دوسری بیماریاں بھی—سر درد اور وِشُوچِکا (ہیضہ جیسی) تکلیف بھی—ہمیشہ ڈالتے رہتے ہیں؛ جو اُچھِشٹ اور دوسری ناپاک جگہوں کے گرد ٹھہرے رہتے ہیں، وہ مسلسل انہیں ستاتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रोगान्: diseases
• रोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्तिम्: pain/distress
• अर्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• विषूचिकाम्: cholera/acute vomiting-diarrhea
• विषूचिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषूचिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिन्तयन्ति: they cause/bring about (lit. think/produce)
• चिन्तयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उच्छिष्टादिस्थलस्थिताः: dwelling in places of leftovers and the like
• उच्छिष्टादिस्थलस्थिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त, स्था धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समास: उच्छिष्टादि-स्थले स्थिताः = those situated in places of leftovers etc.; ‘स्थित’ = क्त (past participle) from √स्था

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Association with impurity and adharma yields corresponding environments and afflictions; tormentors operate through karmic resonance.

Vedantic Theme: Gati (post-mortem trajectory) aligns with samskaras; the jiva experiences a world congruent with its tendencies until purification.

Application: Practice śauca (purity), avoid degrading habits, and perform cleansing disciplines (ethical, ritual, devotional) to prevent lower gati.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: impure site / refuse-ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta drawn to impure offerings/leftovers; torment by bhutas and disease motifs (nearby verses in 2.20)

Characters & Entities

• Impurity-dwelling spirits (ucchiṣṭa-sthala-sthitāḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of leftovers (ucchiṣṭa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links ucchiṣṭa and other impure places with the presence of troubling beings, implying that neglect of cleanliness and purity creates conditions for distress and afflictions.

How does this verse explain suffering or illness in the Garuda Purana framework?

It presents a model where certain illnesses and torments are associated with subtle entities that dwell in impure locations, emphasizing the ritual-ethical dimension of health and suffering.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness around eating areas, dispose of leftovers properly, and observe basic purity disciplines (śauca) to reduce harm, cultivate sattva, and support ritual well-being.