Shloka 10

Dharma-sāra: Dāna-mahātmyam, Karma-vāda, and the Conquest of Grief and Greed

Devanagari script

सर्व एव हि सौख्येन सङ्कटान्यवगाहते / इदमेव हि लोभस्य कार्यं स्या दतिदुष्करम्

Transliteration

sarva eva hi saukhyena saṅkaṭānyavagāhate / idameva hi lobhasya kāryaṃ syā datiduṣkaram

Translation

Indeed, everyone passes through hardships with ease; but this alone is the work of greed—an exceedingly difficult and ruinous task.

Word by Word

• सर्वे: all (people)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुबोधक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• सौख्येन: with ease/comfort
• सौख्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सङ्कटानि: difficulties/crises
• सङ्कटानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अवगाहते: enters/plunges into
• अवगाहते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + गाह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्ग ‘अव’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• लोभस्य: of greed
• लोभस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कार्यं: effect/result
• कार्यं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be/may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अतिदुष्करम्: extremely difficult
• अतिदुष्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘अति दुष्करम्’ (very difficult)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hardships are endurable; greed is the exceptionally difficult, destructive ‘work’ that makes life truly burdensome.

Vedantic Theme: Kama-lobha as bondage; suffering amplified by craving rather than by external conditions.

Application: Practice aparigraha (non-hoarding), set limits, and cultivate contentment to prevent greed from turning manageable challenges into crises.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vice-catalogues where lobha is a root of downfall (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of controlling greed (lobha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames greed as uniquely destructive: while ordinary hardships can be crossed, lobha itself generates severe difficulty and moral downfall, worsening one’s karmic consequences.

How does this verse relate to karma and suffering described in the Garuda Purana?

By identifying greed as the cause that makes life (and its consequences) “exceedingly difficult,” the verse implies that lobha drives harmful actions, creating heavier karmic results that later manifest as suffering.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice restraint in acquisition and consumption, avoid unethical gain, and cultivate contentment (santoṣa); reducing greed reduces conflict, anxiety, and karmically harmful choices.