Garuda Purana

इति सञ्चिन्त्यहृदये पक्षिन्यद्यत्प्रयच्छति । तत्सर्वमात्मना भुङ्क्ते दानं वेदविदो विदुः ॥ २,२१.

Thus, whatever is given with a pure heart, O bird, is enjoyed entirely by oneself; those learned in the Vedas know this as true giving.

पुन्नामनरकाद्यस्मात्पितरं त्रायते सुतः । तस्मात्पुत्त्र इति प्रोक्त इह चापि परत्र च ॥ २,२१.

Because a son saves his father from the hell called Put, therefore he is called 'putra' both here and hereafter.

अपमृत्युमृतौ स्यातां पितरौ कस्यचित्खग । व्रततीर्थाविवाहादिश्राद्धं संवत्सरं त्यजेत् ॥ २,२१.

If, O bird, either parent dies an untimely death, one should abstain for a year from vows, pilgrimages, marriages, and ancestral rites.

स्वप्नाध्यायमिमं यस्तु प्रेत लिङ्गनिदर्शकम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि प्रेतचिह्नं न पश्यति ॥ २,२१.

Whoever recites or hears this chapter on dreams, which reveals the signs of spirits, does not see any sign of spirits.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २२ गरुड उवाच । सम्भवन्ति कथं प्रेताः केन तेषां गतिर्भवेत् । कीदृक्तेषां भवेद्रूपं भोजनं किं भवेत्प्रभो ॥ २,२२.

Garuḍa said: How do spirits come into being, what is their fate, what is their form, and what do they eat, O Lord?

सुप्रीतास्ते कथं प्रेताः क्व तिष्ठन्ति सुरेश्वर । प्रसन्नः कृपया देव प्रश्रमेनं वदस्व मे ॥ २,२२.

O Lord of the gods, how do those departed ones become satisfied, and where do they dwell? Gracious and compassionate God, please tell me this with care.

श्रीभगवानुवाच । पापकर्मरता ये वै पूर्वकर्मवशानुगाः । जायन्ते ते मृताः प्रेतास्ताञ्छृणुष्व वदाम्यहम् ॥ २,२२.

The Blessed Lord said: Those who delight in sinful deeds, compelled by the force of their past actions, are born as pretas after death. Listen, I will tell you about them.

वापीकूपतडागांश्च आरामं सुरमन्दिरम् । प्रपां सद्म सुवृक्षांश्च तथा भोजनशालिकाः ॥ २,२२.

Wells, ponds, tanks, gardens, temples of the gods, rest-houses, houses, beautiful trees, and also fields of food—

पितृपैतामहं धर्मं किक्रीणाति स पापभाक् । मृतः प्रेतत्वमाप्नोति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् ॥ २,२२.

He who, being sinful, sells the ancestral or paternal dharma, after death attains the state of a preta until the dissolution of creation.

गोचरं ग्रामसीमां तडागारामगह्वरम् । कर्षयन्ति च ये लोभात्प्रेतास्ते वै भवन्ति हि ॥ २,२२.

Those who, out of greed, seize pasture, village boundaries, tanks, gardens, or forests—these indeed become pretas.

चण्डालादुदकात्सर्पाद्ब्राह्मणाद्बैद्युताग्नितः । दंष्ट्रिभ्यश्च पशुभ्यश्च मरणं पापकर्मिणाम् ॥ २,२२.

Death by a caṇḍāla, water, snake, brāhmaṇa, lightning, fanged animals, or beasts—such is the fate of evil-doers.

उद्बन्धनमृता ये च विषशस्त्रहताश्च ये । आत्मोपघातिनो ये च विषूच्यादिहतास्तथा ॥ २,२२.

Those who die by hanging, by poison, by weapons, those who commit suicide, and those killed by diseases like cholera—

महारोगैर्मृता ये च पापरोगैश्च दस्युभिः । असंस्कृतप्रमीता ये विहिताचारवर्जिताः ॥ २,२२.

Those who die from great diseases, from sinful illnesses, from robbers, those who die unsanctified, or who neglect prescribed conduct—

वृषोत्सर्गादिलुप्ताश्चलुप्तमासिकपिण्डकाः । यस्यानयति शूद्रोग्निं तृणकाष्ठहवींषि सः ॥ २,२२.

Those whose funeral rites are lost due to the release of a bull, or whose monthly offerings are omitted, or whose fire is not brought by a Śūdra, or whose offerings of grass and wood are neglected—

पतनात्पर्वतानां च भित्तिपातेन ये मृताः । रजस्वलादिदोषैश्च न च भूमौ मताश्च ये ॥ २,२२.

Those who die from falling off mountains, from the collapse of walls, from the impurity of menstruation and similar causes, and those who are not buried in the earth—

अन्तरिक्षे मृता ये च विष्णुस्मरणवर्जिताः । सूतकैः श्वादिसंपर्कैः प्रेतभावा इह क्षितौ ॥ २,२२.

Those who die in the air, who do not remember Viṣṇu, who have contact with the impure, with dogs and the like—these become pretas on earth.

एवमादिभिरन्यैश्च कुमृत्युवशगाश्च ये । ते सर्वे प्रेतयोनिस्था विचरन्ति मरुस्थले ॥ २,२२.

In this way, and by other such improper deaths, all those overcome by untimely death wander as pretas in the desert.

मातरं भगिनीं भार्यां स्नुषां दुहितरं तथा । अदृष्टदोषां त्यजति स प्रेतो जायतेध्रुवम् ॥ २,२२.

He who abandons his mother, sister, wife, daughter-in-law, or daughter, though they are without fault, certainly becomes a preta.

भ्रातृध्रुग्ब्रह्महा गोघ्नः सुरापो गुरुतल्पगः । हेमक्षौमहरस्तार्क्ष्य स वै प्रेतत्वमाप्नुयात् ॥ २,२२.

He who betrays his brother, kills a brāhmaṇa, slays a cow, drinks liquor, violates the teacher’s bed, or steals gold or cloth, O Tārkṣya, he indeed attains the state of a preta.

न्यासापहर्ता मित्रध्रुक्परदाररतस्तथा । विश्वासघाती क्रूरस्तु स प्रेतो जायते ध्रुवम् ॥ २,२२.

He who steals deposits, betrays a friend, enjoys another’s wife, breaks trust, or is cruel—he certainly becomes a preta.

कुलमार्गांश्च सन्त्यज्य परधर्मरतस्तथा । विद्यावृत्तविहीनश्च स प्रेतो जायतेध्रुवम् ॥ २,२२.

He who abandons the path of his lineage, delights in another’s dharma, or is devoid of learning and livelihood—he certainly becomes a preta.

अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । युधिष्ठिरस्य संवादं भीष्मेण सह सुव्रत । तदहं कथयिष्यामि यच्छ्रुत्वा सौख्यमाप्नुयात् ॥ २,२२.

Here they recite an ancient story, the conversation between Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma, O virtuous one. I will tell it, by hearing which one attains happiness.

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । केन कर्मविपाकेन प्रेतत्वमुपजायते । केन वा मुच्यते कस्मात्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह । यच्छ्रुत्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्या मि सुव्रत ॥ २,२२.

Yudhiṣṭhira said: By what result of actions does one become a preta? By what is one freed, and from what? Tell me this, grandfather, so that, having heard it, I may never again fall into delusion, O virtuous one.

भीष्म उवाच । येनैव जायते प्रेतो येनैव स विमुच्यते । प्राप्नोति नरकं घोरं दुस्तरं दैवतैरपि ॥ २,२२.

Bhishma said: By the very cause by which one is born as a preta, by that same cause one is released; otherwise, one attains a terrible hell, difficult to cross even for the gods.

सततं श्रवणाद्यस्य पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनात् । मानवा विप्रमुच्यन्ते आपन्नाः प्रेतयोनिषु ॥ २,२२.

By the constant hearing and recitation of whose meritorious stories, people are freed from falling into the state of pretas.

श्रूयते हि पुरा वत्स ब्राह्मणः शंसितव्रतः । नाम्ना सन्तप्तकः ख्यात स्तपोर्ऽथे वनमाश्रितः ॥ २,२२.

It is heard, O dear one, that in ancient times there was a brahmin named Santaptaka, renowned for his strict vows, who took up residence in the forest for the sake of austerity.

स्वाध्याययुक्तो होमेन यो (या) गयुक्तो दयान्वितः । यजन्स सकलान्यज्ञान्युक्त्या कालं च विक्षिपन् ॥ २,२२.

Engaged in self-study, devoted to oblations, endowed with compassion, performing all sacrifices properly, and passing time in this way,

ब्रहामचर्यसमायुक्तो युक्तस्तपसि मार्दवे । परलोकभयोपेतः सत्यशौचैश्च निर्मलः ॥ २,२२.

Practicing celibacy, steadfast in gentle austerity, filled with fear of the next world, pure in truthfulness and cleanliness,

युक्तोऽहि गुरुवाक्येन युक्तश्चातिथिपूजने । आत्मयोगे सदोद्युक्तः सर्वद्वन्द्वविवर्जितः ॥ २,२२.

Obedient to the words of his teacher, diligent in honoring guests, always intent on self-discipline, free from all dualities,