Shloka 16

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

सो ऽपि मोहसमापन्नो जायते वानरो मृतः / न्यासापहर्ता नरकाद्विमुक्तो जायते कृमिः

Transliteration

so 'pi mohasamāpanno jāyate vānaro mṛtaḥ / nyāsāpahartā narakādvimukto jāyate kṛmiḥ

Translation

Auch er, von Verblendung ergriffen, wird als Affe wiedergeboren und stirbt so. Doch wer anvertrautes Gut (nyāsa) stiehlt, wird nach der Entlassung aus der Hölle erneut als Wurm geboren.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; also/even

• मोहसमापन्नः: fallen into delusion
• मोहसमापन्नः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + समापन्न (कृदन्त; सम्-आ√पद् + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (मोहं समापन्नः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'having fallen into delusion'

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वानरः: monkey
• वानरः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (predicate noun)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'dead' (qualifier)

• न्यासापहर्ता: one who steals a deposit/trust
• न्यासापहर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; अप√हृ + तृ)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (न्यासस्य अपहर्ता), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agent noun

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative singular

• विमुक्तः: freed
• विमुक्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि√मुच् (धातु) → विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; freed

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृमिः: worm
• कृमिः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Moha and breach of entrusted property (nyāsa-apahāra) generate degrading embodiments; release from hell does not erase residual karmic seeds.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā/moha as root of downfall; karma’s latency (bīja-bhāva) persists across realms until exhausted.

Application: Cultivate clarity and accountability; never misappropriate entrusted funds/property; implement transparent stewardship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic justice realm to animal/low birth

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: nyāsa-apahāra and other thefts mapped to naraka and yoni outcomes (adjacent lists)

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa (entrusted deposit) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats stealing an entrusted deposit (nyāsa-apahāra) as a grave breach of dharma, leading to hell and then a low rebirth, emphasizing the sanctity of trust and guardianship.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after wrongdoing?

It presents a sequence: sinful action leads to naraka (hellish suffering), and after release the jīva takes a correspondingly degraded rebirth (here, as a worm), showing karmic continuity beyond death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not misuse money, documents, or valuables kept in your care; treat fiduciary duty and promises as sacred, since betrayal of trust is portrayed as spiritually destructive.