Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 22

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

सहसैव सहैवामुं गृहात्वा व्यगमन्वियम् / कियत्स्थितं बटौ मांसं क्रियन्नेतिन्यभालयन्

Transliteration

sahasaiva sahaivāmuṃ gṛhātvā vyagamanviyam / kiyatsthitaṃ baṭau māṃsaṃ kriyannetinyabhālayan

Translation

他们立刻强行带走他离开了。然后他们看着说：“这肉在身上留了多久，竟然还能活动？”

Word by Word

• सहसा: suddenly/forcibly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly/forcibly)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• सह: together/with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• अमुम्: that one (him)
• अमुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• गृहात्वा: having seized
• गृहात्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); पाठरूप ‘गृहात्वा’ = ‘गृहीत्वा’

• व्यगमन्: they went away
• व्यगमन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• इयम्: this (one)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• कियत्: how much/how long
• कियत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कियत् (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; प्रश्नार्थक विशेषणम्

• स्थितम्: kept/remaining (for)
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• बटौ: in/with the boy (brahmacārin)
• बटौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• मांसम्: meat/flesh
• मांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्

• क्रियन्: doing/making
• क्रियन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → क्रियन् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (कर्तरि)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणार्थक

• अभालयन्: they spoke/uttered
• अभालयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+लल्/भाल्? (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; पाठरूप ‘अभालयन्’—अर्थतः ‘अभाषन्/अब्रुवन्’ (they spoke) इति संदिग्ध-धात्वर्थः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body is ‘māṃsa’—a perishable aggregate; agency (‘still performing acts’) is transient and soon collapses.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of deha and the distinction between kartṛtva (doership) and the perishable instrument; impetus toward vairāgya.

Application: Contemplate impermanence to reduce attachment; prioritize dharma and spiritual practice over bodily pride; remember death to live ethically.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: forest/wilderness

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana reflections on the body’s perishability and the urgency of dharma (general)

Characters & Entities

• Yama-dutas (messengers of Yama)
• Preta (departing soul)

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama’s messengers in the Garuda Purana?

This verse depicts the Yamadutas seizing the departed being and escorting him onward, emphasizing that after death the soul is drawn into a lawful post-death process governed by karma.

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

It portrays a sudden removal—being taken away “at once”—and includes the messengers’ remark about the body’s flesh and lingering activity, highlighting the sharp transition from bodily life to the preta’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with awareness of accountability: actions continue to bear results beyond the body, so cultivate dharma, reduce harmful deeds, and support proper rites and ethical living with a steady mind.