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Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

षट् पिण्डा दश गात्राणि सपिण्डीकरणं न हि / विश्वासघातिनो ये च सुरापाः स्वर्णहारिणः

Transliteration

ṣaṭ piṇḍā daśa gātrāṇi sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ na hi / viśvāsaghātino ye ca surāpāḥ svarṇahāriṇaḥ

Translation

ایسے لوگوں کے لیے نہ چھ پِنڈوں کی نذر ہے، نہ دس گاتر کے کرم، اور نہ ہی سپِنڈی کرن کا وِدھان—یعنی اعتماد توڑنے والے، شراب پینے والے اور سونا چرانے والے۔

Word by Word
षट्six
षट्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootषष् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अविकारी (indeclinable numeral in use); ‘पिण्डाः’ विशेषणम्
पिण्डाःrice-balls (piṇḍas)
पिण्डाः:
Karta (Subject; items enumerated)
TypeNoun
Rootपिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
दशten
दश:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootदशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अविकारी; ‘गात्राणि’ विशेषणम्
गात्राणिlimbs, body-parts
गात्राणि:
Karta (Subject; items enumerated)
TypeNoun
Rootगात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
सपिण्डीकरणम्sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite (making one a sapiṇḍa)
सपिण्डीकरणम्:
Karta (Subject of implied ‘अस्ति’)
TypeNoun
Rootस + पिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स’ उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद (with/along)
नnot
न:
Pratiṣedha
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध (negation particle)
हिindeed, for
हि:
Nipāta (Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic/causal particle)
विश्वासघातिनःbetrayers of trust
विश्वासघातिनः:
Karta (Subject; those who...)
TypeNoun
Rootविश्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + घातिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘विश्वासस्य घातिनः’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
येwho
ये:
Karta (Relative pronoun)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धः ‘विश्वासघातिनः’
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय (conjunction)
सुरापाःwine-drinkers
सुरापाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + पा (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
Formतत्पुरुषसमास (उपपद: ‘सुरां पिबति’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
स्वर्णहारिणःgold-stealers
स्वर्णहारिणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘स्वर्णं हरन्ति’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death sequence culminating in sapiṇḍīkaraṇa (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain grave sins (trust-betrayal, surā-pāna, gold-theft) disrupt eligibility for standard piṇḍa/śarīra-rite sequences and demand special handling/atonement.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma produces obstructive karma that blocks orderly saṃskāra-fruit; ritual efficacy presupposes ethical alignment.

Application: Avoid mahāpātaka-like acts; if committed, seek prescribed prāyaścitta and consult tradition for appropriate funerary/śrāddha procedures.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: didactic setting within afterlife narrative

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of sinners and their post-death impediments; prāyaścitta and śrāddha-vidhi sections (theme-parallel)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
G
Garuda

FAQs

Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is presented as the rite that integrates the departed into the Pitṛ community; this verse highlights that grave ethical violations can be treated as disqualifying for that ancestral admission.

By stating that certain severe sins negate key post-death rites (piṇḍa offerings and sapiṇḍīkaraṇa), the verse implies a disrupted ancestral transition, emphasizing that moral conduct directly affects post-mortem support and status.

Uphold trust, avoid intoxicant-driven wrongdoing, and never take others’ wealth—this verse frames these as foundational dharmic duties with consequences that extend even to death rites and family obligations.

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