Garuda Purana

पप्रच्छ तञ्च कोऽसीति कुतो वा विकृतिं गतः । प्रेत उवाच । प्रेतभावो मया त्यक्तो गतिं प्राप्तोऽस्म्यहं पराम् ॥ २,९.

He asked him, 'Who are you? From where have you come, and why are you so deformed?' The preta spoke: 'I have abandoned my preta state and attained a higher path.'

त्वत्संयोगान्महाबाहो नास्ति धन्यतरो मया । बभ्रुवाहन उवाच । किमेतद्विपिने घोरे सर्वत्रातिभयानके ॥ २,९.

O mighty-armed one, there is no one more fortunate than I because of this meeting with you. Babruvahana said: What is this, in this dreadful forest, terrifying in every direction?

दोधूयमाने वातेन वात्यारूपेण कोणप । पतङ्गा मशकाः क्षुद्राः कवन्धाश्च शिरांसि च ॥ २,९.

As the wind blows violently like a storm, corpses are tossed about; insects, mosquitoes, small creatures, headless bodies, and severed heads are seen.

मत्स्याः कूर्माः कृकलासा वृश्चिका भ्रमराहयः । अधोमुखोर्ध्वपादास्ते क्रन्दमानाः सुदारुणम् ॥ २,९.

Fish, turtles, skeletons, scorpions, bees, and horses—these, with faces downward and feet upward, are crying out terribly.

प्रवान्ति वायवो रूक्षा ज्वलन्तो विद्युदग्नयः । इतस्ततो भ्रमन्तीव वायुना तृणसन्ततिः ॥ २,९.

Harsh winds blow, blazing with lightning and fire; the grass seems to whirl here and there, driven by the wind.

दृश्यन्ते विविधा जीवा नागाश्च शलभव्रजाः । श्रूयन्ते बहुधा रावा न दृश्यन्ते क्वचित्क्वचित् ॥ २,९.

Various living beings are seen, as well as snakes and swarms of locusts; many cries are heard, but nothing is clearly visible anywhere.

दृष्ट्वेदं विकृतं सर्वं वेपते हृदयंमम । प्रते उवाच । येषां नैवाग्निसंस्कारो न श्राद्धं नोदकक्रियाः ॥ २,९.

Seeing all this horror, my heart trembles. Prata said: Those for whom there has been no fire-rite, no śrāddha, nor offering of water—

षट्पिण्डा दश गात्राणि सपिण्डीकरणं न हि । विश्वासघातिनो ये च सुरापाः स्वर्णहारिणः ॥ २,९.

No offering of six rice-balls, no ten limbs, no ancestral rites—those who betray trust, drink liquor, or steal gold—

मृता दुर्मरणाद्ये च ये चासूयापरा जनाः । प्रायश्चित्तविहीना ये अगम्यागमने रताः ॥ २,९.

Those who die unnatural deaths, those who are given to jealousy, those who lack expiation, and those who delight in forbidden unions—

कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणास्ते प्राणिनः स्वकृतैरिह । दुर्लभाहारपानीया दृश्यन्ते पीडिता भृशम् ॥ २,९.

These beings, tossed about here by their own actions, are seen suffering greatly, deprived of food and water.

एतेषां कृपया राजंस्त्वं कुरुष्वौर्ध्वदेहिकम् । येषां न माता न पिता न पुत्रो न च बान्धवाः ॥ २,९.

Out of compassion for these, O king, you should perform the post-death rites for those who have no mother, father, son, or relatives.

तेषा राजा स्वयं कुर्यात्कर्माणि तु यतो नृपः । आत्मनश्च शुभं कर्म कर्तव्यं पारलौकिकम् ॥ २,९.

The king himself should perform these rites for them, for a ruler must do good deeds for himself that bear fruit in the next world.

विमुक्तः सर्वदुः खेभ्यो येनाञ्जो दुर्गातिं तरेत् । भ्रातरः कस्य के पुत्रास्त्रियोऽपि स्वार्थकोविदाः ॥ २,९.

Freed from all suffering, one crosses the difficult passage easily; for whose sake are brothers, sons, or wives, who are all intent on their own interests?

न कार्यस्तेषु विश्रम्भ स्वकृतं भुज्यतेयतः । गृहेष्वर्था निवर्न्त्तन्ते श्मशाने चैव बान्धवाः ॥ २,९.

One should not rely on them, for each person reaps what they have sown; wealth remains at home, and relatives only up to the cremation ground.

शरीरं काष्ठामादत्ते पापं पुण्यं सह व्रजेत् । तस्मादाशु त्वया सम्यगात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता ॥ २,९.

The body takes only wood, while sin and merit accompany the soul; therefore, one who desires their own welfare should act rightly and promptly.

अस्थिरेण शरीरेण कर्तव्यञ्चौर्ध्वदोहिकम् । राजोवाच । कृशरूपः करालाक्षस्त्वं प्रेत इव लक्ष्यसे ॥ २,९.

With this unstable body, one should perform the post-death rites. The king said: You appear emaciated, with fierce eyes, resembling a spirit.

कथयस्वः मम प्रीत्या प्रेतराज यथातथम् । तथा पृष्टः स वै राज्ञा उवाच सकलं स्वकम् ॥ २,९.

Tell me, out of kindness, O lord of the dead, the truth as it is. Thus questioned by the king, he told his entire story.

प्रेत उवाच । कथयामि नृपश्रेष्ठ सर्वमेवादितस्तव । प्रेतत्वे कारणं श्रुत्वा दयां कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥ २,९.

The spirit said: I will tell you everything from the beginning, O best of kings; after hearing the cause of my becoming a spirit, you should show compassion here.

वैदिशं नाम नगरं सर्वसम्पत्सुखावहम् । नानाजनपदाकीर्णं नानारत्नसमाकुलम् ॥ २,९.

There is a city named Vaidisha, bestowing all wealth and happiness, filled with people from many lands and abundant in various jewels.

नानापुष्पवनाकीर्णं नानापुण्यजनावृतम् । तत्राहं न्यवसं भूप देवार्चनरतः सदा ॥ २,९.

That place was adorned with many kinds of flowering groves and filled with people of various merits; there I dwelled, O king, always devoted to worshipping the gods.

वैश्यजातिः सुदेवोऽहं नाम्ना विदितमस्तु ते । हव्येन तर्पिता देवाः कव्येन पितरो मया ॥ २,९.

Know me by name as Sudeva, of the Vaiśya caste; I have satisfied the gods with offerings and the ancestors with oblations.

विविधैर्दानयोगैश्च विप्राः सन्तर्पिता मया । आहारश्च विहारश्च मया वै सुनिवेशितः ॥ २,९.

By various acts of charity I have gratified the Brahmins; I have arranged my food and recreation properly.

दीनानाथविशिष्टेभ्यो मया दत्तमनेकधा । तत्सर्वं निष्फलं जातं मम दैवादुपागतम् ॥ २,९.

To the poor, the destitute, and the distinguished, I have given many gifts; yet all that has become fruitless for me, due to fate.

न मेऽस्ति सन्ततिस्तात न सुहृन्न च बान्धवाः । न च मित्रं हितस्तादृग्यः कुर्यादौर्ध्वदैहिकम् ॥ २,९.

I have no lineage, no friends, nor relatives; nor is there any true companion who would perform the funeral rites for me.

प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तेन मम जातं नृपोत्तम । एकादशं त्रिपक्षञ्च षाण्मासिकमथाब्दिकम् ॥ २,९.

Therefore, O best of kings, my state as a spirit has become fixed; the eleventh-day, fortnightly, half-yearly, and yearly rites—

प्रतिमास्यानि चान्या नि ह्येवं श्राद्धानि षोडश । यस्यैतानि न दीयन्ते प्रेतश्राद्धानि भूपते ॥ २,९.

—and other monthly rites, thus sixteen śrāddhas in all; O king, for whom these funeral offerings are not performed—

प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तस्यः दत्तैः श्राद्धशतैरपि । एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज प्रेतत्वादुद्धरस्व माम् ॥ २,९.

—his state as a spirit remains fixed, even with hundreds of śrāddhas given; knowing this, O great king, deliver me from this ghostly state.

वर्णानाञ्चैव सर्वेषां राजा बन्धुरिहोच्यते । तन्मां तारय राजेन्द्र मणिरत्नं ददामि ते ॥ २,९.

Of all the social classes, the king is called the kinsman here; therefore, O king of kings, rescue me—I will give you a jewel as a gift.

यथा मम शुभावाप्तिर्भवेन्नृपवरोत्तम । तथा कार्यं महीपाल दयां कृत्वा मयि प्रभो ॥ २,९.

O best of kings, act so that I may attain auspiciousness; O lord of the earth, show compassion to me.