पुनश्चिरायुषो भूत्त्वा जायन्ते विपुले कुले । पतिव्रता यथा नारी भर्तृदुःखं न विन्दति ॥ २,२६.
Then, having long life, she is born in a noble family; a devoted wife does not experience her husband's suffering.
सर्वमेतद्धि कथितं मया तव खगेश्वर । विशेषं कथयिष्यामि मृतस्यैव सुखप्रदम् ॥ २,२६.
All this has been told to you by me, O king of birds; now I will tell you in detail what brings happiness to the dead.
द्वादशाहे कृतं सर्वं वर्षं यावत्सपिण्डनम् । पुनः कुर्यात्सदा नित्यं घटान्नं प्रतिमासिकम् ॥ २,२६.
Whatever is performed on the twelfth day and all the way up to the annual śrāddha, should always be done again every month, with food and water offerings.
कृतस्य करणं नास्ति प्रेतकार्यादृते खग । यः करोति नरः कश्चित्कृत्पूर्वं विनश्यति ॥ २,२६.
There is no benefit in repeating what has already been done, except for the rites for the departed, O bird; whoever repeats what was already performed is ruined.
मृतस्यैव पुनः कुर्यात्प्रेतोऽक्षय्यमवाप्नुयात् । प्रतिमासं घटा देया सोदना जलपूरिताः ॥ २,२६.
One should perform rites again only for the deceased; by doing so, the departed attains inexhaustible merit. Every month, water-filled pots should be offered.
अर्वाक्च वृद्धेः करणाच्च तार्क्ष्य सपिण्डनं यः कुरुते हि पुत्रः । तथापि मासं प्रतिपिण्डमेकमन्नं च कुम्भं सजलं च दद्यात् ॥ २,२६.
If a son performs the sapiṇḍa rite after the prescribed period or after the father’s old age, still, each month, he should give one food offering and a pot filled with water.
श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् २७ तार्क्ष्य उवाच । कथं प्रेता वसन्त्यत्र कीदृग्रूपा भवन्ति ते । महाप्रेताः पिशाचाश्च कैःकैः कर्मफलैर्विभो । सर्वेषामनुकम्पार्थं ब्रूहि मे मधुसूदन ॥ २,२७.
Tārkṣya said: How do the departed dwell here, and what forms do they take? And the great pretas and piśācas—by what actions do they become so? For the sake of compassion for all, tell me, O Madhusūdana.
प्रेतत्वान्मुच्यते येन दानेन च शुभे न च । तन्मे कथय देवेश मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम् ॥ २,२७.
By what gift is one freed from the state of a preta, and by what auspicious act? Tell me that, O Lord of the gods, if you wish to do me a favor.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । साधु पृष्टं त्वया तार्क्ष्य मानुषाणां हिताय वै । शृणुचावहितो भूत्वा यद्वच्मि प्रेतलक्षणम् ॥ २,२७.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Well have you asked, O Tārkṣya, for the benefit of humankind. Now listen attentively as I speak of the marks of the departed.
गुह्यद्गुह्यतरं ह्येतन्नाख्येयं यस्य कस्यचित् । भक्तस्त्वं हि महाबाहो तेन ते कथयाम्यहम् ॥ २,२७.
This is most secret, more hidden than the hidden, and should not be revealed to just anyone. But you are devoted, O mighty-armed one, so I will tell you.
पुरा त्रेतायुगे तात राजासीद्बभ्रुवाहनः । महोदयपुरे रम्ये धर्मनिष्ठो महाबलः ॥ २,२७.
Long ago, in the Tretā Yuga, dear one, there was a king named Babhruvāhana, steadfast in righteousness and great in strength, ruling in the beautiful city of Mahodaya.
यज्वा दानपतिः श्रीमान्ब्रह्मण्यः साधुसंमतः । शीलाचारगुणोपेतो दयादाक्षिण्यसंयुतः ॥ २,२७.
He was a performer of sacrifices, a lord of charity, prosperous, devoted to the Brāhmaṇas, esteemed by the virtuous, endowed with good conduct and character, and full of compassion and generosity.
प्रजाः पालयते नित्यं पुत्रानिव महाबलः । क्षत्त्रधर्मरतो नित्यं स दण्ड्यान्दण्डयन्नृपः ॥ २,२७.
That mighty king always protected his subjects like his own children, ever devoted to the duty of a kṣatriya, punishing those who deserved punishment.
स कदाचिन्महाबाहुः ससैन्योमृगयां गतः । वनं विवेश गहनं नानावृक्षसमन्वितम् ॥ २,२७.
Once, that mighty-armed king, accompanied by his army, went on a hunt and entered a dense forest filled with many kinds of trees.
शार्दूलशतसंजुष्टं नानापक्षिनिनादितम् । वनमध्ये तदा राजा मृगं दूरादपश्यत ॥ २,२७.
The forest was inhabited by hundreds of tigers and resounded with the cries of many birds. There, in the midst of the woods, the king saw a deer from afar.
तेन विद्धो मृगोऽतीव बाणेन सुदृढेन च । बाणमादाय तं तस्य स वनेऽदर्शनं ययौ ॥ २,२७.
Struck by a strong arrow, the deer, taking the arrow with it, disappeared into the forest.
कक्षे तच्छोणितस्त्रावात्स राजानुजगाम तम् । ततो मृगप्रसङ्गेन वनमन्यद्विवेश सः ॥ २,२७.
The king followed the trail of blood left by the deer, and in pursuit of it, entered another part of the forest.
क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठो नृपतिः श्रमसन्तापमूर्छितः । जलस्थानं समासाद्य साश्व एवावगाहत ॥ २,२७.
Parched with hunger and thirst, exhausted and faint, the king reached a water source and, still on horseback, plunged in.
पीत्वा तदु दकं शीतं पद्मगन्धाधिवासितम् । तत उत्तीर्य सलिलाद्विमलाद्बभ्रुवाहनः ॥ २,२७.
Drinking that cool water, fragrant with the scent of lotuses, Babhruvāhana then emerged from the pure water.
न्यग्रोधवृक्षमासाद्य शीतच्छायं मनोहरम् । महाविटपिनं हृद्यं पक्षिसङ्घातनादितम् ॥ २,२७.
He came to a banyan tree, with cool, delightful shade, vast branches, and pleasing, resounding with the calls of flocks of birds.
वनस्य तस्य सर्वस्य केतुभूतमिवोच्छ्रितम् । तं महातरुमासाद्य निषसाद महीपतिः ॥ २,२७.
That great tree, towering like a landmark over the whole forest, was approached by the king, who then sat down beneath it.
अथ प्रेतं ददर्शासौ क्षुत्तृष्णाव्याकुलेन्द्रियम् । उत्कचं मलिनं कुब्जं (रूक्षं) निर्मांसं भीमदर्शनम् ॥ २,२७.
There he saw a preta, senses disturbed by hunger and thirst: disheveled, filthy, hunchbacked, emaciated, and terrifying to behold.
स्नायुबद्धास्थिचरणं धावमानमितस्ततः । अन्यैश्च बहुभिः प्रेतैः समन्तात्परिवारितम् ॥ २,२७.
Its feet were bones bound by sinews, running here and there, and it was surrounded on all sides by many other pretas.
तं दृष्ट्वा विकृतं घोरं विस्मितो बभ्रुवाहनः । प्रेतोऽपि दृष्ट्वा तां घोरामटवीमागतं नृपम् ॥ २,२७.
Seeing that dreadful, misshapen being, Babhruvāhana was astonished. The preta, too, seeing the king enter that fearsome forest, gazed at him.
तदा हृष्टमना भूत्वा तस्यान्तिकमुपागतः । अब्रवीत्स तदा तार्क्ष्य प्रेतराजो नृपं वचः ॥ २,२७.
Then, becoming joyful, the king of pretas approached him and spoke these words to the king, O Tārkṣya.
प्रेतभावो मया त्यक्तः प्राप्तोऽस्मि परमां गतिम् । त्वत्संयोगान्महाबाहो नास्तिधन्यतरो मम ॥ २,२७.
I have abandoned the state of a preta and attained the highest state. Through meeting you, O mighty-armed one, none is more blessed than I.
नृपतिरुवाच । कृष्णवर्णः करालास्यस्त्वं प्रेत इव लक्ष्यसे । कथयस्व मम प्रीत्या यथैवं चासि तत्त्वतः ॥ २,२७.
The King said: You are dark in complexion, with a terrifying face, and you appear like a ghost. Out of affection, tell me truly who you are and why you are thus.
तथा पृष्टः स वै राज्ञा प्रोवाच सकलं स्वकम् ॥ २,२७.
Thus questioned by the king, he told everything about himself.
प्रेत उवाच । कथयामि नृपश्रेष्ठ सर्वमेवादितस्तव । प्रेतत्वे कारणं श्रुत्वा दयां कर्तुं ममार्हसि ॥ २,२७.
The Preta said: O best of kings, I will tell you everything from the beginning. After hearing the cause of my ghosthood, you should show me compassion.
वैदिशं नाम नगरं सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितम् । नानाजनपदाकीर्णं नानारत्नसमाकुलम् । नानापुण्यसमायुक्तं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम् ॥ २,२७.
There is a city named Vaidisha, endowed with all kinds of wealth, crowded with people from various regions, filled with many kinds of jewels, abundant in various merits, and rich with many kinds of trees.