Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 16

The Explanation of the Post-funeral Rites (Aurdhvadehika) and Related Matters

Devanagari script

विशुद्धः सर्वपापेभ्यो मुक्तः स नरकाद्ध्रुवम् / निवसेन्नाकलोके च नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

viśuddhaḥ sarvapāpebhyo muktaḥ sa narakāddhruvam / nivasennākaloke ca nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

وہ تمام گناہوں سے پاک ہو کر یقیناً نرک سے رہائی پاتا ہے۔ پھر وہ سوَرگ لوک میں سکونت اختیار کرتا ہے؛ اس میں کسی شک یا مزید غور کی حاجت نہیں۔

Word by Word

• विशुद्धः: purified
• विशुद्धः: विशेषण (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective of सः

• सर्व-पापेभ्यः: from all sins
• सर्व-पापेभ्यः: अपादान (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय = 'all sins'

• मुक्तः: freed
• मुक्तः: विशेषण (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त (मुच् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: अपादान (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषण)

• निवसेत्: should dwell
• निवसेत्: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नाक-लोके: in heaven
• नाक-लोके: अधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाक (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष = 'in heaven-world'

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (and)

• न: no/not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निपात (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (here)

• कार्या: necessary
• कार्या: विधेय (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (कृ धातु, ण्यत्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate noun/adjective = 'to be done/necessary' (agreeing with विचारणा)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: कर्ता/विषय (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through purification (implied by preceding rites), the departed is freed from sins and certainly released from naraka, attaining svarga; the text asserts certainty.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala determinacy within ritual cosmology: śuddhi removes pāpa-obstruction, enabling ascent to higher loka; faith in śāstra-pramāṇa.

Application: Undertake prescribed śānti/śrāddha with sincerity; avoid skepticism that leads to neglect—complete the process for the departed’s welfare.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: outcomes of Nārāyaṇa-bali/śrāddha as naraka-mokṣa and svarga-prāpti (contextual internal parallel); Garuda Purana: assurances ‘na atra kāryā vicāraṇā’ style statements in ritual-result sections (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Naka-loka (Svarga)

FAQs

What is the importance of sin-purification in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that once a person is purified and freed from sins, release from Naraka is certain and the soul attains residence in the heavenly realm.

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

It presents a clear after-death outcome: freedom from sin leads to freedom from hell, followed by dwelling in Nāka-loka (Svarga), with no ambiguity about the result.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically and pursue purification through sincere repentance, dharmic conduct, and prescribed śrāddha/ritual duties so that one’s karmic burden is reduced and the afterlife trajectory improves.