Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 40

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

प्रेत उवाच / कथयामि नृपश्रेष्ठ सर्वमेवादितस्तव / प्रेतत्वे कारणं श्रुत्वा दयां कर्तुमिहार्हसि

Transliteration

preta uvāca / kathayāmi nṛpaśreṣṭha sarvamevāditastava / pretatve kāraṇaṃ śrutvā dayāṃ kartumihārhasi

Translation

饿鬼说道：“至上的君王啊，我将从头把一切都告诉你。你既听闻我沦为饿鬼之因，便应在此生起慈悲。”

Word by Word

• प्रेतः: the preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Speech verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कथयामि: I tell
• कथयामि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, कथयति)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नृपश्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• नृपश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः नृपाणां श्रेष्ठः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Emphasis (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (निपात)
• Form: निपात (particle; restriction/emphasis)

• आदितः: from the beginning
• आदितः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial), पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from the beginning)

• तव: to you / of you
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/for you)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन

• प्रेतत्वे: in the state of being a preta
• प्रेतत्वे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object of ‘कथयामि’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karma (Object of ‘कर्तुम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do / to show
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), अव्यय; प्रयोजनार्थ (to do)

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अर्हसि: you ought / you are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Preta (departed spirit)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Preta-state has a specific cause; understanding karmic causality should awaken compassion and corrective action.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati (lawful moral causation) and dayā as a sattvic response to suffering.

Application: Listen to suffering without contempt; identify causes (habits/actions/neglect) and respond with compassionate, dharmic remedies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: accounts of causes leading to pretatva and remedies via rites/merit (contextual parallel passages)

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of understanding the cause of pretatva (preta-state) in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pretatva as having a specific cause; knowing it is meant to awaken compassion and motivate corrective dharmic action (often through proper rites and ethical living).

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

It introduces a first-person account by a preta, indicating that the post-death journey can include an intermediate, troubled state whose reasons can be explained and addressed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Listen to suffering with seriousness, respond with compassion, and uphold dharma—especially responsibilities toward the departed through respectful remembrance and appropriate family rites.