Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 65

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

यानि पूर्वानुभूतानि देवभूतात्मजानि वै

Transliteration

yāni pūrvānubhūtāni devabhūtātmajāni vai

Translation

Những kinh nghiệm đã từng trải qua trước đây—quả thật phát sinh từ chư thiên, các loài hữu tình, và từ những ấn tượng tâm (tự sinh) của chính mình—

Word by Word

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पूर्वानुभूतानि: previously experienced
• पूर्वानुभूतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुभूत (कृदन्त; √भू with अनु-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: 'पूर्वं अनुभूतानि' = previously experienced

• देवभूतात्मजानि: born of divine beings
• देवभूतात्मजानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'देवभूतानाम् आत्मजानि' = born of divine beings

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Experiences arise from multiple causal streams: daiva (cosmic/divine factors), bhūta (elemental/being-related conditions), and ātmaja (self-born mental impressions/saṃskāras).

Vedantic Theme: Kārya-kāraṇa-viveka and the role of saṃskāra/vāsanā in shaping perception and rebirth tendencies.

Application: Observe how habits and impressions condition reactions; purify saṃskāras through japa, ethical living, and mindful attention to reduce compulsive patterns.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32 (discussion of prior experiences and their role in the jīva’s condition; leads into gestation/birth description)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Bhutas
• Atma (self)

FAQs

What is the importance of past experiences (pūrvānubhūtāni) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse points to prior lived impressions as causal forces that reappear later, including in subtle or post-death states, shaping what the being undergoes.

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

It indicates that what is encountered is not random: experiences arise from multiple sources—divine agencies, other beings, and one’s own mind-born karmic impressions—affecting the preta’s perceptions and journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate wholesome impressions through ethical conduct, disciplined mind, and dharmic living, since mind-born tendencies can shape future experiences beyond this life.