Garuda Purana — Uttara Khanda (Pretakalpa) — Chapter 21
GaP 2 21.1
श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम्- २१ गरुड उवाच । मुक्तिं यान्ति कथं प्रेतास्तदहं प्रष्टुमुत्सुकः । यन्मुक्तौ च मनुष्याणां न पीडा जायते पुनः
śrīgaruḍamahāpurāṇam- 21 garuḍa uvāca / muktiṃ yānti kathaṃ pretāstadahaṃ praṣṭumutsukaḥ / yanmuktau ca manuṣyāṇāṃ na pīḍā jāyate punaḥ
The Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa, 21. Garuḍa said: How do the departed (pretas) attain release? I am eager to ask about that — and by whose release no further affliction arises for human beings.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.2
एतैश्च लक्षणैर्देव पीडोक्ता प्रेतजा त्वया । तेषां कदा भवेन्मुक्तिः प्रेतत्वं न कथं भवेत्
etaiśca lakṣaṇairdeva pīḍoktā pretajā tvayā / teṣāṃ kadā bhavenmuktiḥ pretatvaṃ na kathaṃ bhavet
And by these signs, O God, affliction arising from a preta has been declared by you. When does release come for them, and how may the state of being a preta not come about?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.3
प्रेतत्वे हि प्रमाणं च कति वर्षाणि संख्यया । चिरं प्रेतत्वमापन्नः कथं मुक्तिमवाप्नुयात्
pretatve hi pramāṇaṃ ca kati varṣāṇi saṃkhyayā / ciraṃ pretatvamāpannaḥ kathaṃ muktimavāpnuyāt
And what is the measure of the state of a preta — how many years in number? One who has long fallen into the preta-state, how might he obtain release?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.4
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । मुक्तिं प्रायन्ति ते प्रेतास्तदहं कथयामि ते । यदैव मनुजो ऽवैति मम पीडा कृता त्वियम्
śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / muktiṃ prāyanti te pretāstadahaṃ kathayāmi te / yadaiva manujo 'vaiti mama pīḍā kṛtā tviyam
The blessed Kṛṣṇa said: Those pretas do go to release; I shall tell you of that. Just when a man understands, "This affliction of mine has indeed been caused (by a preta)"—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.5
पृच्छार्थं हितमन्विच्छन्दै वज्ञे विनिवदयेत् । स्वप्ने दृष्टः शुभो वृक्षः फलितश्चूतचम्पकः
pṛcchārthaṃ hitamanvicchandai vajñe vinivadayet / svapne dṛṣṭaḥ śubho vṛkṣaḥ phalitaścūtacampakaḥ
—for the sake of inquiry, seeking his own benefit, he should make it known to one who knows (or: at a sacrifice); (if) a fine tree is seen in a dream, a mango or campaka in fruit,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.6
विप्रो वा वृषभो देवो भ्रमते तीर्थगो यदि । एवं दृष्टो यदा स्वप्नो मृतः को ऽपिस्वगोत्रजः
vipro vā vṛṣabho devo bhramate tīrthago yadi / evaṃ dṛṣṭo yadā svapno mṛtaḥ ko 'pisvagotrajaḥ
or if a brahmin, a bull, or a god wanders as one going to a sacred ford — when such a dream is seen, then someone born in one's own lineage has died (as a preta).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.7
स्वप्ने सत्यं परिज्ञाय दृष्टं प्रेतप्रभावतः । अद्भुतानि प्रदृश्यन्ते प्रेतदोषाद्विनिश्चितम्
svapne satyaṃ parijñāya dṛṣṭaṃ pretaprabhāvataḥ / adbhutāni pradṛśyante pretadoṣādviniścitam
Having recognized that what is seen in the dream is true, (it is) from the power of the preta; wonders are displayed — this is determined to come from the fault of a preta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.8
तीर्थस्नाने मतिर्यावच्चित्तं धर्मपरायणम् । धर्मापायं प्रकुरुते प्रेतपीडा तदा व्रजेत्
tīrthasnāne matiryāvaccittaṃ dharmaparāyaṇam / dharmāpāyaṃ prakurute pretapīḍā tadā vrajet
So long as the mind is set on bathing at sacred fords and the thought is devoted to dharma, (yet) one brings about the destruction of dharma — then the affliction of a preta has come.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.9
तदा तत्र विनाशाय चित्तभङ्गं करोति सा । श्रेयांसि बहुविघ्नानि सम्भवन्ति पदेपदे
tadā tatra vināśāya cittabhaṅgaṃ karoti sā / śreyāṃsi bahuvighnāni sambhavanti padepade
Then, for destruction there, it breaks down the mind; auspicious undertakings meet with many obstacles at every step.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.10
अश्रेयसि प्रवृत्ति च प्रेरयन्ति पुनः पुनः । उच्चाटनं च क्रूरत्वं सर्वं प्रेतकृतं खग
aśreyasi pravṛtti ca prerayanti punaḥ punaḥ / uccāṭanaṃ ca krūratvaṃ sarvaṃ pretakṛtaṃ khaga
And they impel (one) again and again to activity in what is not beneficial; the driving away (of good) and cruelty — all this is done by the preta, O bird.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.11
सर्वविघ्नानि सन्त्यज्य मुक्त्युपायं करोति यः । तस्य कर्मफलं साधु प्रेतवृत्तिश्च शाश्वती
sarvavighnāni santyajya muktyupāyaṃ karoti yaḥ / tasya karmaphalaṃ sādhu pretavṛttiśca śāśvatī
He who, abandoning all obstacles, performs the means of release (for the preta) — his act bears good fruit, and the preta's condition (otherwise) is perpetual.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.12
स भवेत्तेन मुक्तस्तु दत्तं श्रेयस्करं परम् । स्वयं तृप्यति भोः पक्षिन्यस्योद्देशेन दीयते
sa bhavettena muktastu dattaṃ śreyaskaraṃ param / svayaṃ tṛpyati bhoḥ pakṣinyasyoddeśena dīyate
He (the preta) becomes released by that; what is given is supremely beneficial. One is oneself satisfied, O bird, (by that) which is given with dedication to him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.13
शृणु सत्यमिदं तार्क्ष्य यद्ददाति भुनक्ति सः । आत्मानं श्रेयसा युञ्ज्यात्प्रेतस्तृप्तिं चिरं व्रजेत्
śṛṇu satyamidaṃ tārkṣya yaddadāti bhunakti saḥ / ātmānaṃ śreyasā yuñjyātpretastṛptiṃ ciraṃ vrajet
Hear this truth, O Tārkṣya: what one gives, that he enjoys. One should join oneself to what is beneficial; the preta attains satisfaction for a long time.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.14
ते तृप्ताः शुभमिच्छन्ति निजबन्धुषु सर्वदा । अज्ञातयस्तु ये दुष्टाः पीडयन्ति स्ववंशजान्
te tṛptāḥ śubhamicchanti nijabandhuṣu sarvadā / ajñātayastu ye duṣṭāḥ pīḍayanti svavaṃśajān
Satisfied, they always wish good for their own kinsmen; but those wicked ones who are not (thus) known afflict those born in their own line.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.15
निवारयन्ति तृप्तास्ते जायमानानुकम्पकाः । पश्चात्ते मुक्तिमायन्ति काले प्राप्ते स्वपुत्रतः । सदा बन्धुषु यच्छन्ति वृद्धिमृद्धिं खगाधिप
nivārayanti tṛptāste jāyamānānukampakāḥ / paścātte muktimāyanti kāle prāpte svaputrataḥ / sadā bandhuṣu yacchanti vṛddhimṛddhiṃ khagādhipa
Satisfied, they ward (evils) off, becoming compassionate toward those being born; afterwards they attain release, when the time comes, through their own son; they always grant increase and prosperity to their kinsmen, O lord of birds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.16
दर्शनाद्भाषणाद्यस्तु चेष्टातः पीडनाद्गतिम् । न प्रापयति मूढात्मा प्रेतशापैः स लिप्यते
darśanādbhāṣaṇādyastu ceṣṭātaḥ pīḍanādgatim / na prāpayati mūḍhātmā pretaśāpaiḥ sa lipyate
But he who, (though warned) by (their) appearing, by (their) speaking, by (their) actions, by (their) afflicting, does not bring (them) to their goal — that deluded soul is smeared with the curses of the pretas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.17
अपुत्रको ऽपशुश्चैव दरिद्रो व्याधितस्तथा । वृत्तिहीनश्च हीनश्च भवेज्जन्मनिजन्मनि
aputrako 'paśuścaiva daridro vyādhitastathā / vṛttihīnaśca hīnaśca bhavejjanmanijanmani
Sonless and without cattle, poor and likewise diseased, without livelihood and destitute he becomes, birth after birth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.18
एवं ब्रुवन्ति ते प्रेताः पुनर्याभ्यं समाश्रिताः । तत्रस्थानां भवेन्मुक्तिः स्वकाले कर्मसंक्षये
evaṃ bruvanti te pretāḥ punaryābhyaṃ samāśritāḥ / tatrasthānāṃ bhavenmuktiḥ svakāle karmasaṃkṣaye
Thus speak those pretas who have again taken recourse to (their kin?). For those who abide there, release comes at its own time, when their karma is exhausted.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.19
गरुड उवाच । नाम गोत्रं न दृश्येत प्रतीतिर्नैव जायते । केचिद्वदन्ति दैवज्ञाः पीडां प्रेतसमुद्भवाम्
garuḍa uvāca / nāma gotraṃ na dṛśyeta pratītirnaiva jāyate / kecidvadanti daivajñāḥ pīḍāṃ pretasamudbhavām
Garuḍa said: The name and lineage are not seen, and no conviction arises; some who know fate say the affliction has arisen from a preta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.20
न स्वप्नश्चैष्टितं नैव दर्शनं न कदाचन । किं कर्तव्यं सुरश्रेष्ठ तत्र मे ब्रूहि निश्चितम्
na svapnaścaiṣṭitaṃ naiva darśanaṃ na kadācana / kiṃ kartavyaṃ suraśreṣṭha tatra me brūhi niścitam
There is no dream, no gesture, no appearance at all. What is to be done, O best of gods? Tell me on that point for certain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.21
श्रीभगवानुवाच । सत्यं वाप्यनृतं वापि वदन्ति क्षितिदेवताः । तदा सञ्चिन्त्य हृदये सत्यमेतद्द्विजेरितम्
śrībhagavānuvāca / satyaṃ vāpyanṛtaṃ vāpi vadanti kṣitidevatāḥ / tadā sañcintya hṛdaye satyametaddvijeritam
The Blessed Lord said: Whether it be true or whether it be false, the brahmins ("earth-deities") declare it; so, having reflected in his heart, (one should hold) "this that the twice-born have said is true."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.22
भावभक्तिं पुरस्कृत्य पितृभक्तिपरायणः । कृत्वा कृष्णबलिं चैव पुरश्चरण पूर्वकम्
bhāvabhaktiṃ puraskṛtya pitṛbhaktiparāyaṇaḥ / kṛtvā kṛṣṇabaliṃ caiva puraścaraṇa pūrvakam
Placing heartfelt devotion foremost, devoted wholly to reverence for the fathers, having performed the black offering (kṛṣṇabali) and the preliminary rite (puraścaraṇa),
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.23
जपहोमैस्तथा दानैः प्रकुर्याद्देहसोधनम् । कृतेन तेन विघ्नानि विनश्यन्ति खगेश्वर
japahomaistathā dānaiḥ prakuryāddehasodhanam / kṛtena tena vighnāni vinaśyanti khageśvara
and by muttered prayers, oblations and gifts he should effect the purification of the body; by doing that, O lord of birds, the obstacles perish.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.24
भूतप्रेतपिशाचैर्वा स चेदन्यैः प्रपीड्यते । पित्रुद्देशेन वै कुर्यान्नारायणबलिं तदा । विमुक्तः सर्वपीडाभ्य इति सत्यं वचो मम
bhūtapretapiśācairvā sa cedanyaiḥ prapīḍyate / pitruddeśena vai kuryānnārāyaṇabaliṃ tadā / vimuktaḥ sarvapīḍābhya iti satyaṃ vaco mama
And if he is afflicted by bhūtas, pretas and piśācas, or by others, then he should perform the Nārāyaṇa-bali with reference to the father; he is released from all afflictions — this word of mine is true.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.25
पितृपीडा भवेद्यत्र कृत्यैरन्यैर्न मुच्यते । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पितृभक्तिपरो भवेत्
pitṛpīḍā bhavedyatra kṛtyairanyairna mucyate / tasmātsarvaprayatnena pitṛbhaktiparo bhavet
Where there is affliction from the fathers, one is not freed by other rites; therefore with every effort one should become devoted to the fathers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.26
नवमे दशमे वर्षे पिक्षुद्देशेन वै पुमान् । गायत्त्रीमयुतं जप्त्वा दशांशेन च होमयेत्
navame daśame varṣe pikṣuddeśena vai pumān / gāyattrīmayutaṃ japtvā daśāṃśena ca homayet
In the ninth or the tenth year a man should, with reference to the father, mutter the Gāyatrī ten thousand times and make oblation with a tenth of that number.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.27
कृत्वा कृष्णबलिं पूर्वं वृषोत्सर्गादिकाः क्रियाः । सर्वोपद्रवहीनस्तु सर्वसौख्यमवाप्नुयात् । उत्तमं लोकमाप्नोति ज्ञातिप्राधान्यमेव च
kṛtvā kṛṣṇabaliṃ pūrvaṃ vṛṣotsargādikāḥ kriyāḥ / sarvopadravahīnastu sarvasaukhyamavāpnuyāt / uttamaṃ lokamāpnoti jñātiprādhānyameva ca
Having first performed the black offering, the release of a bull and the other rites, he becomes free of all calamities and attains every happiness; he gains the highest world and pre-eminence among his kinsmen.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.28
पितृमा तृसमं लोके नास्त्यन्यद्दैवतं परम् । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पूजयेत्पितरौ सदा
pitṛmā tṛsamaṃ loke nāstyanyaddaivataṃ param / tasmātsarvaprayatnena pūjayetpitarau sadā
There is in the world no other higher deity equal to father and mother; therefore with every effort one should always honour one's two parents.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.29
हितानामुपदेष्टा हि प्रत्यक्षं दैवतं पिता । अन्या या देवता लोके न देहप्रभवो हि ताः
hitānāmupadeṣṭā hi pratyakṣaṃ daivataṃ pitā / anyā yā devatā loke na dehaprabhavo hi tāḥ
For the father is the visible deity, the instructor in what is beneficial; whatever other deities there are in the world, they are not the source of the body.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.30
शरीरमेव जन्तूनां स्वर्गमोक्षैकसाधनम् । देहो दत्तो हि येनैवं को ऽन्यः पूज्यतमस्ततः
śarīrameva jantūnāṃ svargamokṣaikasādhanam / deho datto hi yenaivaṃ ko 'nyaḥ pūjyatamastataḥ
For creatures the body alone is the sole means to heaven and release; by whom the body has thus been given — who else is more to be honoured than he?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.31
इति सञ्चिन्त्यहृदये पक्षिन्यद्यत्प्रयच्छति । तत्सर्वमात्मना भुङ्क्ते दानं वेदविदो विदुः
iti sañcintyahṛdaye pakṣinyadyatprayacchati / tatsarvamātmanā bhuṅkte dānaṃ vedavido viduḥ
Reflecting thus in his heart, O bird, whatever a man gives, all that he himself enjoys — so those who know the Veda understand the gift.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.32
पुन्नामनरकाद्यस्मात्पितरं त्रायते सुतः । तस्मात्पुत्त्र इति प्रोक्त इह चापि परत्र च
punnāmanarakādyasmātpitaraṃ trāyate sutaḥ / tasmātputtra iti prokta iha cāpi paratra ca
Since a son rescues his father from the hell named Put, therefore he is called "putra," both here and in the world beyond.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GaP 2 21.33
अपमृत्युमृतौ स्यातां पितरौ कस्यचित्खग । व्रततीर्थाविवाहादिश्राद्धं संवत्सरं त्यजेत्
apamṛtyumṛtau syātāṃ pitarau kasyacitkhaga / vratatīrthāvivāhādiśrāddhaṃ saṃvatsaraṃ tyajet
If someone's parents, O bird, have died an untimely death, he should give up vows, pilgrimages, marriage and the like — (but) not the śrāddha — for a year.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GaP 2 21.34
स्वप्नाध्यायमिमं यस्तु प्रेत लिङ्गनिदर्शकम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि प्रेतचिह्नं न पश्यति
svapnādhyāyamimaṃ yastu preta liṅganidarśakam / yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi pretacihnaṃ na paśyati
But whoever reads or even hears this chapter on dreams, which shows the marks of a preta, does not see the sign of a preta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition