Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 3

Preta-lakṣaṇa and Svapna-nimitta: Dream Portents of Preta-affliction and the Prescribed Remedies

Devanagari script

प्रतिष्ठा वायुदेहेषु शयानांस्तु स्ववंशजान् / तत्र यच्छन्ति लिङ्गानि दर्शयन्ति खगेश्वर

Transliteration

pratiṣṭhā vāyudeheṣu śayānāṃstu svavaṃśajān / tatra yacchanti liṅgāni darśayanti khageśvara

Translation

Hỡi Khageśvara (Chúa tể loài chim), những kẻ nằm đó trong thân thể vi tế như gió khiến cho dòng tộc của mình được nhận biết; và tại nơi ấy, họ ban các dấu hiệu và bày lộ những nét phân biệt.

Word by Word

• प्रतिष्ठाः: abidings, establishments
• प्रतिष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वायुदेहेषु: in airy bodies
• वायुदेहेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु-देह (प्रातिपदिक; वायु + देह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शयानाम्: of those lying (there)
• शयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of those lying)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• स्ववंशजान्: their own descendants
• स्ववंशजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-वंश-ज (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + वंश + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• यच्छन्ति: restrain, control
• यच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गानि: signs, indications
• लिङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दर्शयन्ति: show, make manifest
• दर्शयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) भावः (to cause to see/show)

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In vāyu-deha (subtle/airy body), the departed retains identity markers tied to lineage and can indicate presence through signs; attachment and karmic residue persist.

Vedantic Theme: Ahaṃkāra and saṃskāra persistence in the subtle body; identity continues until dissolution through rites/knowledge.

Application: Maintain respectful ancestral remembrance; interpret ‘signs’ with discernment and respond through prescribed rites and ethical living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ancestral/household-liminal

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: vāyu-deha/sūkṣma-śarīra descriptions; preta’s interaction with relatives via indications (liṅga) and dreams.

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Subtle body (Vāyu-deha)
• Lineage (Vaṃśa)

FAQs

What is the importance of vāyu-deha (airy/subtle body) in Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that after death the being may exist in a wind-like subtle body, through which recognition and communication can occur via identifiable signs.

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

It suggests an intermediate condition where the departed, existing in a subtle form, can manifest tokens or marks—implying an ongoing identity and connection with one’s lineage during the preta-phase.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clarity and discipline in śrāddha and related rites, and cultivate ethical living so the transition after death is orderly—without confusion, fear, or harmful attachments.