Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 73

Svapnādhāya (Dream-Chapter): Causes, Forms, Nourishment, and Liberation of Pretas

Devanagari script

न्यासापहर्ता मित्रध्रुक्परदाररतः सदा / विश्वासघाती कूटश्च स प्रेदृ

Transliteration

nyāsāpahartā mitradhrukparadārarataḥ sadā / viśvāsaghātī kūṭaśca sa predṛ

Translation

凡侵吞受托之财、背叛友人、常恋他人妻、毁坏信义而又诡诈者——此人即成罪业之徒，死后堪受饿鬼（preta）境界之苦。

Word by Word

• न्यास: a deposit/trust (entrusted property)
• न्यास: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (genitive relation as prior member), एकवचन (as compound member)

• अपहर्ता: stealer/abductor
• अपहर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप-हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तरि तृ-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मित्र: friend
• मित्र: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member), एकवचन

• ध्रुक्: betrayer
• ध्रुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुह् (धातु) → ध्रुक् (कृदन्त/उणादि-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तरि (one who betrays), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासान्त-रूप (in compound)

• पर: another’s
• पर: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as compound member), अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग (other’s)

• दार: wife (lit. spouse)
• दार: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (pluralia tantum), षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member)

• रतः: addicted/engaged (in)
• रतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• विश्वास: trust
• विश्वास: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपद (as compound member)

• घाती: destroyer/slayer
• घाती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन् (धातु) + णिनि/घातिन् (कृदन्त) → घाती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तरि-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कूटः: deceitful person/forger
• कूटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सः: he/that person
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun)

• प्रेदृ: a preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेदृ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेदृ (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थतः ‘प्रेतः’ इत्यर्थे (variant/irregular form)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Betrayal of trust (viśvāsa-ghāta), misappropriation, and sexual transgression generate papa leading to preta-state suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and adharma as bondage-producing; ethical purity as prerequisite for higher gati.

Application: Maintain fiduciary integrity, loyalty in friendship, and sexual restraint; avoid deceit in speech and conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general lists of preta-causing sins (viśvāsa-ghāta, para-dāra, steya); Garuda Purana: Yama’s punishments for theft/adultery/falsehood (Pretakalpa thematic parallels)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of trust (viśvāsa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats betrayal of trust—especially misuse of deposits and faithlessness—as a grave adharma that leads to painful consequences after death.

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

It links specific unethical acts (fraud, betrayal, adultery) with post-mortem suffering in the preta condition, implying moral causality (karma) governs one’s afterlife experience.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep fiduciary integrity (never misuse entrusted money), protect friendships through loyalty, and uphold marital ethics—these are presented as safeguards against severe karmic fallout.