Shloka 50

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

लोभमोहादयः पञ्च शरीरे चैव तस्कराः / तृष्णा कामो ह्यहङ्कारः कुतो यान्ति जनार्दना

Transliteration

lobhamohādayaḥ pañca śarīre caiva taskarāḥ / tṛṣṇā kāmo hyahaṅkāraḥ kuto yānti janārdanā

Translation

Greed and delusion—these five are truly thieves dwelling within the body. Along with craving, desire, and egoism—O Janārdana—where could they go, save to remain with the embodied being?

Word by Word

• lobha-moha-ādayaḥ: greed, delusion, etc.
• lobha-moha-ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक) + moha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासान्त-आदयः (ādi-śabda)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• śarīre: in the body
• śarīre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• taskarāḥ: thieves
• taskarāḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• tṛṣṇā: craving
• tṛṣṇā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṣṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kāmaḥ: desire
• kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (particle: indeed/for)

• ahaṅkāraḥ: egoism
• ahaṅkāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kutaḥ: from where/how
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• yānti: go
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• janārdanāḥ: O Janārdanas (people/men)
• janārdanāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (vocative-sense address)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kleśas/vices (lobha, moha, tṛṣṇā, kāma, ahaṅkāra) persist with the jīva as inner robbers; liberation requires recognizing and restraining them.

Vedantic Theme: Ahaṅkāra and kāma bind the jīva to saṃsāra; viveka-vairāgya as antidotes; body-mind as upādhi, not the Self.

Application: Daily self-audit: identify triggers of greed/delusion; practice restraint (yama/niyama), charity without attachment, and nāma-smaraṇa to weaken craving and ego.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: microcosmic/inner landscape

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa discussions on bondage by kāma/krodha/lobha and the jīva’s carried impressions (vāsanā); Garuda Purana sections praising Viṣṇu-nāma as purifier of inner faults

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse frames passions like greed, delusion, craving, desire, and ego as forces that steal discernment and merit, keeping the jiva bound to karmic suffering rather than moving toward dharma and liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

It implies that the soul’s journey is obstructed by inner bondage—these tendencies remain with the embodied being and shape karma, which then influences post-death experience described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice restraint (dama), mindful awareness of craving, and humility to weaken ego-driven actions—reducing harmful karma and supporting a calmer mind at life’s end.