Garuda Purana

प्राप्तं सुकृतिनं दृष्ट्वा स्थानाच्च लति सूर्यजः । एष मे मण्डलं भित्त्वा ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयास्यति ॥ २,१९.

Seeing the virtuous one who has arrived, the son of the Sun departs from his place, saying, 'He will pierce my sphere and go to the world of Brahma.'

दानेन सुलभो धर्मो यममार्गः सुखावहः । एष मार्गो विशालोऽत्र न केनाप्य नुगम्यते । दानपुण्यं विना वत्स न गच्छेद्धर्ममन्दिरम् ॥ २,१९.

By giving, righteousness is easily attained, and the path of Yama brings happiness; this path is vast here, but is not followed by anyone without the merit of giving. Without the merit of charity, O child, one does not reach the abode of Dharma.

तस्मिन्मार्गे तु रौद्रे वै भीषणा यमकिङ्कराः । एकैकस्य पुरस्याग्रे तिष्ठत्येकसहस्रकम् ॥ २,१९.

On that dreadful path, the fearsome attendants of Yama stand, a thousand at the entrance of each city.

पचन्ति पापिनं प्राप्य उदके यातनाकराः । गृह्णन्ति मासमासान्ते पादशेषं तु तद्भवेत् ॥ २,१९.

Having seized the sinner, the agents of torment cook him in water; at the end of each month, only a remnant of his foot remains.

और्ध्वदैहिकदानानि यैर्न दत्तानि काश्यप । महाकष्टेन ते यान्ति तस्माद्देयानि शक्तितः । अदत्त्वा पशुवद्यान्ति गृहीतो वन्धबन्धनैः ॥ २,१९.

O Kāśyapa, those who have not given post-funeral gifts go with great suffering; therefore, they should be given according to one's ability. Not having given, they go like cattle, bound and seized with ropes.

एवं कृतेन सम्पश्येत्स नरः भूतकर्मणा । दैविकीं पैतृकीं योनिं मानुषीं वाथ नारकीम् ॥ २,१९.

Thus, by actions performed, a person perceives for himself a birth among beings, a divine, ancestral, human, or even hellish womb.

धर्मराजस्य वचनान्मुक्तिर्भवति वा ततः । मानुष्यं तत्त्वतः प्राप्य स पुत्त्रः पुत्त्रतां व्रजेत् ॥ २,१९.

By the command of Dharmarāja, liberation may occur; or, having truly attained a human birth, he becomes a son and attains sonship.

यथायथा कृतं कर्म तान्तां योनिं व्रजेन्नरः । तत्तथैव च भुञ्जानो विचरेत्सर्वलोकगः ॥ २,१९.

According to the actions performed, a man enters that very womb; and, experiencing accordingly, he moves among all the worlds.

अशाश्वतं परिज्ञाय सर्वलोकोत्तरं सुखम् । यदा भवति मानुष्यं तदा धर्मं समाचरेत् ॥ २,१९.

Recognizing all worldly happiness as impermanent and transcendent, when one attains a human birth, then one should practice righteousness.

कृमयो भस्म विष्ठा वा देहानां प्रकृतिः सदा । अन्धकूपे महारौद्रे दीपहस्तः पातेत्तु वै ॥ २,१९.

Worms, ashes, or excrement are always the nature of bodies; in a dreadful, dark pit, one may indeed fall, holding a lamp.

महापुण्यप्रभावेण मानुष्यं जन्म लभ्यते । यस्तत्प्राप्य चरेद्धर्मं स गच्छेत्परमां गतिम् ॥ २,१९.

By the power of great merit, a human birth is obtained; whoever, having attained that, practices righteousness, reaches the supreme state.

अपि जानन्वृथा धर्मं दुः खमायाति याति च ॥ २,१९.

Even knowing righteousness in vain, one comes and goes in suffering.

जातीशतेन लभते किल मानुषत्वं तत्रापि दुर्लभतरं खग भो द्विजत्वम् । यस्तत्र पालयति लालयति व्रतानि तस्यामृतं भवति हस्तगतं प्रसादात् ॥ २,१९.

After a hundred births, one may indeed obtain humanity; but, O bird, among humans, twice-born status is even more difficult to attain. Whoever there observes and cherishes vows, for him, by grace, immortality is as if placed in his hand.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २० गरुड उवाच । ये केचित्प्रेतरूपेण कुत्र वासं लभन्ति ते । प्रेतलोकाद्विनिर्मुक्ताः कथं कुत्र व्रजन्ति ते ॥ २,२०.

Garuḍa said: Those who, in the form of spirits, dwell somewhere—when freed from the world of spirits, how and where do they go?

चतुर्युक्ताशीति लक्षैर्नरकैः पर्युपासिताः । यमेन रक्षितास्तत्र भूतैश्चैव सहस्रशः ॥ २,२०.

Surrounded by eighty-four hundred thousand hells, they are guarded there by Yama and by thousands of spirits.

विचरन्ति कथं लोके नरकाच्च विनिर्गताः । गरुडोदीरितं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मीनाथोऽब्रवीदिदम् ॥ २,२०.

How do those who have departed from hell wander in the world? Hearing Garuḍa’s question, Lakṣmī’s Lord spoke this.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । पक्षिराज शृणुष्व त्वं यत्र प्रेताश्चरन्ति वै । परार्थदारग्रहणाच्छ (ब) लाद्द्रोहान्निशाचराः ॥ २,२०.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O king of birds, listen as I tell you where spirits wander—those who, by taking another’s wife, by theft, or by betrayal, become night-wanderers.

तथैव सर्वपापिष्ठः स्वात्मजान्वेषणे रताः । विचरन्त्यशरीरास्ते क्षुप्तिपासार्दिता भृशम् ॥ २,२०.

Likewise, all the most sinful, intent on seeking their own children, wander bodiless, tormented greatly by hunger and thirst.

बन्दीगृहवि निर्मुक्ता येभ्यो नश्यन्ति जन्तवः । ते व्यवस्यन्ति च प्रेता वधोपायं च बन्धुषु ॥ २,२०.

Freed from prison, those by whom creatures perish, those spirits plot the destruction of their relatives.

पितृद्वदाराणि रुन्धन्ति तन्मार्गोच्छेदकास्तथा । पितृभा गान्विगृह्णन्ति पान्थेभ्यस्तस्करा इव ॥ २,२०.

They obstruct the wives of their fathers and similarly those who block their path; they seize the ancestral wealth, like thieves from travelers.

स्वं वेश्म पुनरागत्य मित्रस्थाने विशन्ति ते । तत्र स्थिता निरीक्षन्ते रोगशोकादिबन्धनाः ॥ २,२०.

Returning again to their own house, they enter the place of friends; remaining there, they observe, bound by disease, grief, and other ties.

पीडयन्ति ज्वरीभूय एकान्तरमिषेण तु । तृतीयकज्वरा भूत्वा शीतवातादिपीडया ॥ २,२०.

They afflict, becoming fever, with a certain portion of food; becoming the third fever, they torment with cold, wind, and the like.

अन्यांश्च विविधान्रोगाञ्छिरोऽर्तिं च विषूचिकाम् । चिन्त यन्ति सदा तेषामुच्छिष्टादिस्थलस्थिताः ॥ २,२०.

They cause various other diseases, head pain, and cholera; always, those who dwell in places of leftovers and the like, afflict them.

आत्मजानां छलाल्लोका भूतसङ्घैश्च रक्षिताः । पिबन्ति ते च पानीयं भोजनोच्छिष्टयोजितम् ॥ २,२०.

People, deceived by their own children and guarded by groups of spirits, drink water mixed with food remnants.

एवं प्रेताः प्रवर्तन्ते नानादोषैर्विकर्मिणः ॥ २,२०.

Thus, the departed souls act, having committed various faults and improper deeds.

गरुड उवाच । कथं कुर्वन्ति ते प्रेताः केन रूपेण कस्य किम् । ज्ञायते केन विधिना जल्पन्ति न वदन्ति वा ॥ २,२०.

Garuda said: How do those departed souls act? In what form, for whom, and in what way is it known? By what method do they speak or remain silent?

एनं छिन्धि मनोमोहं मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम् । कलिकाले हृषीकेश प्रेतत्वं जायते बहु ॥ २,२०.

If you wish to please me, dispel this confusion of my mind. In the age of Kali, O Hrishikesha, the state of being a departed soul arises frequently.

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । स्वकुलं पीडयेत्पेतः परच्छिद्रेण पीडयेत् । जीवन्स दृश्यते स्नेही मृतो दुष्टत्वमाप्नुयात् ॥ २,२०.

Sri Vishnu said: The departed soul afflicts its own family or afflicts others through their faults. While living, he appears affectionate; after death, he attains wickedness.

रुद्रजापी धर्मरतो देवतातिथिपूजकः । सत्यवाक्प्रियवादी च न प्रेतैः स हि पीड्यते ॥ २,२०.

One who recites Rudra, is devoted to righteousness, worships gods and guests, speaks truth and pleasant words, is not afflicted by departed souls.