Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

कथयस्वः मम प्रीत्या प्रेतराज यथातथम् / तथा पृष्टः स वै राज्ञा उवाच सकलं स्वकम्

Transliteration

kathayasvaḥ mama prītyā pretarāja yathātatham / tathā pṛṣṭaḥ sa vai rājñā uvāca sakalaṃ svakam

Translation

اے پریت راج یم! مجھ پر محبت کرکے جیسا ہے ویسا ہی سچ کہیے۔ بادشاہ کے پوچھنے پر اُس نے اپنا پورا حال بیان کر دیا۔

Word by Word

• कथयस्वः: tell (please)
• कथयस्वः: Prayojaka/Ājñā (Imperative to listener)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, कथयति)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रीत्या: out of affection
• प्रीत्या: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रेतराज: O king of the departed (Yama)
• प्रेतराज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः प्रेतस्य राजा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• यथातथम्: as it really is
• यथातथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समुच्चय (indeclinable pair), द्वन्द्व-भावः; अर्थे ‘यथावत्’

• तथा: thus / in that manner
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (Subject qualifier of ‘स’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; ‘पृष्ट’ = asked

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karta (Agent in passive construction with ‘पृष्टः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सकलम्: all / entire
• सकलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• स्वकम्: his own
• स्वकम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; ‘स्वकीयम्’

Speaker

Narrator (describing the dialogue setup between a king and Yama, the Preta-raja)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Satya-vacana and authoritative testimony regarding the unseen (preta-rajya) as a means to right understanding.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa (reliable means of knowledge) and viveka between appearance and the law-governed moral order.

Application: Seek truthful counsel from competent sources; approach death/afterlife teachings with humility and precision rather than speculation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: Yama–preta dialogues and narrative confessions (contextual parallel passages)

Characters & Entities

• Yama (Preta-raja)

FAQs

What is the importance of asking Yama “yathātatham” (truthfully) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that teachings about death, the preta-state, and Yama’s realm should be heard exactly as they are—without distortion—because they guide correct understanding and dharmic conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

It functions as a narrative hinge: once Yama is requested to speak truthfully, the text proceeds into a detailed account of post-death realities, setting up subsequent descriptions of the preta’s experiences and moral causality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach teachings on death rites, karma, and ethics with sincerity and accuracy—seeking reliable sources and practicing dharma consistently rather than relying on rumor or fear-based interpretations.