Shloka 28

Preta-bhāva: Causes, Remedies, and the Rationale of Post-death Rites

Question-Catalogue

Devanagari script

लोभमोहादयः पञ्च शरीरे चैव तस्कराः / तृष्णा कामो ऽप्यहङ्कारः कुतो यान्ति जनार्दन

Transliteration

lobhamohādayaḥ pañca śarīre caiva taskarāḥ / tṛṣṇā kāmo 'pyahaṅkāraḥ kuto yānti janārdana

Translation

O Janārdana, Gier, Verblendung und die übrigen fünf sind wahrlich Diebe, die im Körper wohnen. Und Durst nach Genuss (tṛṣṇā), Begierde (kāma) und selbst das Ichgefühl (ahaṅkāra) — wohin gehen sie, wenn man den Leib verlässt?

Word by Word

• लोभ-मोह-आदयः: greed, delusion, etc.
• लोभ-मोह-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास/आदि-प्रयोगः: ‘लोभमोहादयः’ = लोभः मोहः च अन्ये च)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), अव्ययवत्; आदयः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तस्कराः: thieves
• तस्कराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन

• तृष्णा: craving
• तृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन

• कामः: desire
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सम्भावना-निपात (particle: also/even)

• अहङ्कारः: egoism
• अहङ्कारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन

• कुतः: from where
• कुतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: source)

• यान्ति: they go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• जनार्दन: O Janardana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Case 8), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu (Janardana)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lobha, moha, tṛṣṇā, kāma, ahaṅkāra and allied afflictions are internal robbers; their ‘going’ at death points to their continuity as saṃskāras in the subtle body unless uprooted.

Vedantic Theme: Kāma-krodha-lobha as bondage; ahaṅkāra as knot (granthi); vāsanā continuity across death; need for vairāgya and bhakti/jñāna to dissolve kleshas.

Application: Name and track these impulses; practice restraint, contentment, and devotion; use daily self-audit to reduce craving and ego-reactivity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana moral-psychological descriptions of vices leading to naraka (Pretakalpa thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Janardana (Vishnu)
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of calling greed and delusion 'thieves' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames inner vices as 'thieves' because they steal discrimination, peace, and merit, pushing a person toward harmful karma that affects one’s post-death journey.

How does this verse explain what continues after death?

By asking where craving, desire, and ego go, the verse points to the Garuda Purana theme that tendencies (vāsanā/samskāra) do not simply vanish with the body but influence the subtle being and its experience after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat greed, delusion, craving, desire, and ego as inner enemies: practice restraint, truthful living, charity, and self-inquiry so these impulses weaken and do not drive destructive actions.