Garuda Purana on ghosts and their effects on people.

 Spirits attacking a body.

Garuda Purana – Preta Kanda, Chapter 10 Verse 54-55 (If the son performs Shraddha at Gaya they uplift their ancestors from the lower region and themselves enjoy Brahmaloka together with their forefathers. They never suffer from hunger and thirst).

Garuda Purana – Preta Kanda, Chapter 10 Verse 50-53 (On Amavasya the airy beings stand at the threshold of their descendants in order to receive Shraddha. They remain there till sunset. When they do not receive Shraddha they fall in despair and out of suffering heave long sighs and go back cursing their descendants.)

Garuda Purana – Preta Kanda, Chapter 20 Verse 5-37 (Having incurred sins they seek redemption in their progeny. Being bodiless as well as suffering from hunger thirst they roam about here and there. They bolt door on their ancestors, put obstacles in the way of forefathers. Like thieves, they snatch the manes food in the way before it reaches them. They return home stay on the roof, and watch the activities of their kins. They cause disease and grief to their relatives. Having assumed the body of tertian {fever}, they cause disease due to cold or wind like headaches or cholera. The ghosts torment his family people through the enemy.)

He, who is devoted to Rudra, follows the path of righteousness, propitiates the Devi/Devas, satiates ghost, speaks the truth and pleasant words, and is not tormented by the pretas (ghosts).

Following is due to the bad intentions of the preta (ghost).

* One is addicted to bad habits.

* One who gets sons who die young.

* One who is at daggers-dawn with his relatives.

* A woman who is barren or if she gives birth to children or they die at a very early age.

* If there is a sudden change in one’s nature.

* If one loses faith in religion or if he loses the means of his livelihood.

* If there’s regular quarrel at one’s home.

* When an incurable disease sets in, or when children suffer from pain or when the wife suffers immensely.

* When one loses faith in sastras.

* When one abuses the Devi/Devas, guru and the Brahmins.

* When the women suffer from abortion / do not conceive / when the children die young.

* When one does not perform the annual shraddha in sincerity.

* When both husband and wife quarrel at meals.

Garuda Purana Preta Kanda Chapter 21 verse 11-34 (If a person performs the holy rites for the redemption of a ghost, he will find actions fruitful. The ghost shall be satiated permanently. When the ghost is satisfied he will wish his kinsmen well forever.

To rid oneself of ghostly afflictions one should devoutly pray to the manes, perform the “Purashcarana Rites” (“Purashcarana is a rite preparatory to another rite, e.g. the Nandi Mukha rite is a preparatory rite to the rites of the marriage”) and offer oblations to Vishnu. By means of japas, homas, and danas he should sanctify his body. If this is performed, all obstacles and hindrances are dispelled. By performing the rites of oblations to Lord Narayana (Narayana Bali) with the ancestors in view he shall be freed of all sorts of afflictions. This is my sworn statement.

One who devoutly pray to the manes, he who repeats the Gayatri mantra (with the manes in view) 10 000 x’s and perform homa 1000 x’s, after having previously performed Narayana Bali and Vrshotsarga shall be free from all sorts of tortures.

He who reads this reads this chapter entitled “Svapnaa-dhyaaya or hears it, will not be afflicted by ghosts).

Relief from Ghosthood when they come in dreams

Garuda Purana Preta Khanda 23. 4-15, Lord Vishnu said, “Ghosts visit the place where their son, wife and relatives sleep. If a person dreams of a horse, an elephant, a bull or a man with a deformed face, if a person awakened from sleep sees himself in the opposite side of the bed, this is all due to the working of a ghost. If a man is fastened with chains in a dream, his dead ancestors demand food in the dream. It is due to a ghost if one sees his wife, relative, son or husband as dead. He who begs in a dream oppressed by hunger thirst should give pindas to the ancestors to ward off coming distress.”

“These signs call for atonement. One should bathe at home or at a holy place, give water oblation to a deity at the root of a fig tree or give black corn, perform worship, offer gifts to a Vedic scholar and do homa as far as his means can allow. If, in faith one reads or hears this discourse, the ghosts disappear immediately from his vicinity.”

Compiled (for the upliftment of Sanatan Dharma – The Eternal Religion)

Narottam Das