Garuda Purana

शीघ्रगः पुशुवक्त्रश्च सूचकः सूचिवक्त्रवान् । दुःखिता नितरां स्वमिन्पश्य रूपविपर्ययम् ॥ २,२२.

Śīghraga has the face of a sheep, Puśuvaktra; Sūcaka has the face of a needle; we are exceedingly miserable, master, behold our distorted forms.

कृत्वा मायामयं रूपं विचरामो महीतले । सर्वे च विकृताकारा लम्बोष्ठा विकृताननाः ॥ २,२२.

Having assumed illusory forms, we wander upon the earth; all of us are deformed in appearance, with hanging lips and distorted faces.

बृहच्छरीरिणो रौद्रा जाताः स्वेनैव कर्मणा । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं प्रेतत्वे कारणं मया ॥ २,२२.

With large bodies, fierce in form, we have been born by our own actions; thus I have told you everything, the reason for our state as pretas.

ज्ञानिनोऽपि वयं सर्वे जाताः स्म तव दर्शनात् । यत्र ते श्रवणे श्रद्धा तत्पृच्छ कथयामि ते ॥ २,२२.

Although we are all knowledgeable, we have come into being before you; wherever you have faith in hearing, ask, and I will tell you.

ब्राह्मण उवाच । ये जीवा भुवि जीवन्ति सर्वेऽप्याहारमूलकाः । युष्माकमपिचाहारं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥ २,२२.

The brāhmaṇa said: All living beings who live on earth depend upon food; I wish to hear, in truth, about your food as well.

प्रेता ऊचुः । यदि ते श्रवणे श्रद्धा आहाराणां द्विजोत्तम । अस्माकं तु महीभाग शृणुत्वं सुसमाहितः ॥ २,२२.

The pretas said: If you have faith in hearing about our food, O best of brāhmaṇas, then listen attentively, O fortunate one.

ब्राह्मण उवाच । कथयन्तु महाप्रेता आहारं च पृथक्पृथक् । इत्युक्तां ब्राह्मणेनेममूचुः प्रेताः पृथकपृथक् ॥ २,२२.

The brāhmaṇa said: Let the great pretas each describe their food separately. Thus addressed by the brāhmaṇa, the pretas spoke, each in turn.

प्रेता ऊचुः । शृणु चाहारमस्माकं सर्वसत्त्बविगर्हितम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा गर्हसे ब्रह्मन् भूयोभूयश्च गर्हितम् ॥ २,२२.

The pretas said: Hear now of our food, which is despised by all beings; upon hearing it, O brāhmaṇa, you will reproach it, and it is indeed most reproachable.

श्लेष्ममूत्रपुरीषोत्थं शरीराणां मलैः सह । उच्छिष्टैश्चैव चान्यैश्च प्रेतानां भोजनं भवेत् ॥ २,२२.

The food of pretas consists of phlegm, urine, and feces, together with bodily filth, as well as leftovers and other such things.

गृहाणि चाप्यशौचानि प्रकीर्णोपस्कराणि च । मलिनानि प्रसूतानि प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै ॥ २,२२.

In houses that are impure, with scattered utensils and filth, and where childbirth has occurred, the spirits of the dead indeed partake of the food there.

नास्ति सत्यं गृहे यत्र न शौचं न च संयमः । पतितैर्दस्युभिः सङ्गः प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै ॥ २,२२.

Where there is no truthfulness in the home, no cleanliness, and no self-restraint, and where there is association with fallen people and thieves, the spirits of the dead indeed partake of the food there.

बलिमन्त्रविहीनानि होमहीनानि यानि च । स्वाध्याय व्रतहीनानि प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै ॥ २,२२.

Where offerings and mantras are neglected, where sacrifices are absent, and where there is no self-study or observance of vows, the spirits of the dead indeed partake of the food there.

न लज्जा न च मर्यादा यदात्र स्त्रीजितो गृही । गुरवो यत्र पूज्या न प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै ॥ २,२२.

Where there is no modesty or propriety, where the householder is dominated by women, and where elders are not honored, the spirits of the dead indeed partake of the food there.

यत्र लोभस्तथा क्रोधो निद्रा शोको भयं मदः । आलस्यं कलहो नित्यं प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्र वै ॥ २,२२.

Where there is greed, anger, sleep, sorrow, fear, intoxication, laziness, and constant quarrelling, the spirits of the dead indeed partake of the food there.

भर्तृहीना च या नारी परवीर्यं निषेवते । बीजं मूत्रसमायुर्क्त प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्तु वै ॥ २,२२.

A woman without a husband who unites with another man's seed, or whose womb contains semen and urine, the spirits of the dead indeed partake of that.

लज्जा मे जायते तात वदतो भोजनं स्वकम् । यत्स्त्रीरजो योनिगतं प्रेता भुञ्जन्ति तत्तु वै ॥ २,२२.

Shame arises in me, O dear one, as I speak of eating food that contains menstrual blood or is tainted by the womb; the spirits of the dead indeed partake of that.

निर्विण्णाः प्रेतभावेन पृच्छामि त्वां दृढव्रत । यथा न भविता प्रेतस्तन्मे वद तपोधन । नित्यं मृत्युर्वरं जन्तोः प्रेतत्वं मा भवेत्क्वचित् ॥ २,२२.

Distressed by the state of being a spirit, I ask you, O steadfast one: tell me how one may avoid becoming a spirit. For death is certain for all beings, but may the state of being a spirit never occur.

ब्राह्मण उवाच । उपवासपरो नित्यं कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणे रतः । व्रतैश्च विविधैः पूतो न प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

The Brahmin said: One who is always devoted to fasting, engaged in difficult and lunar penances, and purified by various vows, does not become a spirit.

एकादश्यां व्रतं कुर्वञ्जागरेण समन्वितम् । अपरैः सुकृतैः पूतो न प्रेतो न प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

One who observes the vow on the eleventh day, remaining awake, and is purified by other good deeds, does not become a spirit.

इष्ट्वा वै वाश्वमेधादीन्दद्याद्दानानि यो नरः । आरामोद्यानवाप्यादेः प्रपायाश्चैव कारकः ॥ २,२२.

A man who performs sacrifices such as the Ashvamedha, gives gifts, and establishes gardens, parks, ponds, or drinking places, does not become a spirit.

कुमारीं ब्राह्मणानां तु विवाहयति शक्तितः । विद्यादोऽभयदश्चैव न प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

One who, to the best of his ability, gives a maiden in marriage to Brahmins, imparts knowledge, or grants safety, does not become a spirit.

शूद्रान्नेन तु भुक्तेन जठरस्थेन यो मृतः । दुर्मृत्युना मृतो यश्च स प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

He who dies with food eaten from Shudras in his stomach, or who dies an inauspicious death, becomes a spirit.

अयाज्ययाजकश्चैव याज्यानां च विवर्जकः । कारुभिश्च रतो नित्यं स प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

One who performs sacrifices for the unworthy, or neglects those for whom sacrifices should be performed, or who is always engaged with artisans, becomes a spirit.

कृत्वा मद्यपसम्पर्कं मद्यपस्त्रीनिषेवणम् । अज्ञानाद्भक्षयन्मांसं स प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

One who associates with drunkards, engages with women who drink, or ignorantly eats meat, becomes a spirit.

देवद्रव्यं च ब्रह्मस्वं गुरुद्रव्यं तथैव च । कन्यां ददाति शुल्केन स प्रेतो जायते नरः ॥ २,२२.

One who gives away property belonging to the gods, Brahmins, or teachers, or gives a maiden in marriage for a price, becomes a spirit.

मातरं भगिनीं भार्यां स्नुषां दुहितरं तथाः । अदृष्टदोषास्त्यजति स प्रेतो जादृ ॥ २,२२.

He who abandons his mother, sister, wife, daughter-in-law, or daughter without any fault on their part, becomes a spirit.

न्यासापहर्ता मित्रध्रुक्परदाररतः सदा । विश्वासघाती कूटश्च स प्रेदृ ॥ २,२२.

One who steals deposits, betrays friends, is always engaged with others' wives, breaks trust, or is deceitful, becomes a spirit.

भ्रातृध्रुग्ब्रह्महा गोघ्नः सुरापो गुरुतल्पगः । कुलमार्गं परित्यज्य ह्यनृतोक्तौ सदा रतः । हर्ता हेम्नश्च भूमेश्च स प्रेदृ ॥ २,२२.

He who betrays his brother, kills a Brahmin, slays a cow, drinks liquor, violates his teacher's bed, abandons the path of his lineage, is always engaged in false speech, or steals gold or land—such a one becomes a preta (restless spirit).

भीष्म उवाच । एवं ब्रुवति वै विप्रे आकाशे दुन्दुभिस्वनः । अपतत्पुष्पवर्षं च देवर्मुक्तं द्विजोपरि ॥ २,२२.

Bhishma said: As the Brahmin spoke thus, there was a sound of celestial drums in the sky, and a shower of flowers released by the gods fell upon the Brahmin.