Garuda Purana

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,

योगाभ्यासे सदा युक्तः संसारविजिगीषया । एवंवृत्तः सदाचारो मोक्षकाङ्क्षी जितेन्द्रियः ॥ २,२२.

Constantly engaged in the practice of yoga, desiring to conquer worldly existence, of good conduct, seeking liberation, and having mastered his senses,

बहून्यब्दानि विजने वने तस्य गतानि वै । तस्य बुद्धिस्ततो जाता तीर्थानुगमनं प्रति ॥ २,२२.

Many years passed for him in the solitary forest; then his mind turned toward visiting holy places.

पुण्यैस्तीर्थजलैरेव शोषयिष्ये कलेवरम् । स तीर्थेत्वरितं स्नात्वा तपस्वी भास्करोदये । कृतजाप्यनमस्कारो ह्यध्वानं प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ २,२२.

"I will wear out this body with the holy waters of sacred places." Thus, the ascetic, having bathed at sunrise in a holy place, performed his recitations and salutations, and set out on his journey.

एकस्मिन्दिवसे विप्रो मार्गभ्रष्टो महातपाः । ददर्शाध्वनि गच्छन्स पञ्च प्रेतान् सुदारुणान् ॥ २,२२.

One day, the great ascetic brahmin, having lost his way, saw five dreadful pretas as he traveled along the road.

अरण्ये निर्जने देशे संकटे वृक्षवर्जिते । पञ्चैतान्विकृताकारान्दृष्ट्वा वै घोरदर्शनान् । ईषत्सन्त्रस्तहृदयोऽतिष्ठदुन्मील्य लोचने ॥ २,२२.

In a deserted, lonely place in the forest, difficult and devoid of trees, he saw those five with deformed appearances, terrifying to behold; his heart was slightly frightened, and he stood with eyes wide open.

अवलम्ब्य ततो धैर्यं भयमुत्सृज्य दूरतः । पप्रच्छ मधुराभाषी के यूयं विकृताननाः ॥ २,२२.

Then, steadying himself and casting off fear, he spoke sweetly from a distance: "Who are you, with such distorted faces?"

किञ्चाशुभं कृतं कर्म येन प्राप्ताः स्थ वैकृतम् । कथं वा चैकतः कर्म प्रस्थिताः कुत्र निश्चितम् ॥ २,२२.

"What unwholesome deed have you done that you have attained such a condition? And how did you all come together, and where are you certainly going?"

प्रेतराज उवाच । स्वैः स्वैस्तु कर्मभिः प्राप्तं प्रेतत्वं हि द्विजोत्तम । परद्रोहरताः सर्वे पापमृत्युवशं गताः ॥ २,२२.

The king of pretas said: By our own actions, O best of brahmins, we have attained the state of pretas; all of us, addicted to harming others, have fallen under the sway of sinful death.

क्षुत्पिपासार्दिता नित्यं प्रेतत्वं समुपागताः । हतवाक्या हतश्रीका हत संज्ञा विचेतसः ॥ २,२२.

Constantly afflicted by hunger and thirst, we have come to this state of pretas; deprived of speech, deprived of prosperity, deprived of consciousness, and bewildered.

न जानीमो दिशं तात विदिशं चातिदुः खिताः । क्व नु गच्छामहे मूढाः पिशाचाः कर्मजा वयम् ॥ २,२२.

We do not know the direction or the region, O dear one, so distressed are we; where indeed shall we go, we who are deluded, spirits born of our own actions?