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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

तमवोचं महायक्षं त्वं हि प्रतिभटो भव / प्रेतान्नाशय तद्भूयः शवञ्च हर तद्गतम्

Transliteration

tamavocaṃ mahāyakṣaṃ tvaṃ hi pratibhaṭo bhava / pretānnāśaya tadbhūyaḥ śavañca hara tadgatam

Translation

我对那位大夜叉说道：“你当成为坚定的勇士。再一次毁灭那里的饿鬼（preta），并把尸身带走——连同凡已入其内者一并带去。”

Word by Word
तम्him
तम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
अवोचम्I said
अवोचम्:
Kriyā (Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलुङ् (Aorist), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
महायक्षम्the great Yaksha
महायक्षम्:
Karma (Object complement)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् यक्षः)
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
हिindeed, for
हि:
Sambandha (Emphasis/Reason)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ
प्रतिभटःa champion, a valiant one
प्रतिभटः:
Karta (Predicate nominative)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रतिभट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
भवbe
भव:
Kriyā (Command)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
प्रेतान्ghosts, departed spirits
प्रेतान्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन
नाशयdestroy
नाशय:
Kriyā (Command)
TypeVerb
Rootनश् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)
तत्then
तत्:
Sambandha (Sequence)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/निपातवत् (then/thereupon)
भूयःagain, further
भूयः:
Sambandha (Repetition)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभूयस् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb), पुनरर्थक
शवम्corpse
शवम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootशव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय (conjunction)
हरcarry away, take
हर:
Kriyā (Command)
TypeVerb
Rootहृ (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
तद्गतम्that which has gone into it / contained therein
तद्गतम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम) + गत (कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् गतम् = gone into it/therein)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection of social-ritual order by removing disruptive preta-forces and properly handling the dead body.

Vedantic Theme: Adharma as tamasic intrusion; restoration of order through rightful force (dharma-rakṣaṇa).

Application: Address harmful influences decisively; in modern terms, intervene to protect vulnerable spaces/people and follow proper protocols around death and grief.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: battle/incident site near a corpse

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta-affliction around corpses; need for rites and protective measures

Characters & Entities
Y
Yaksha
P
Pretas
S
Shava (corpse)

FAQs

This verse treats pretas as disruptive post-death entities that can interfere with the dead body and the transition after death, requiring protection and removal.

By showing that the post-death condition can involve hostile or restless beings around the corpse, it implies the journey is not only metaphysical but also ritually safeguarded through protective actions.

It supports the traditional emphasis on prompt, orderly last rites and maintaining a protected, disciplined environment around the deceased, avoiding fear-based practices while following dharmic procedures.

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