Shloka 81
Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence
हेम्नस्तदङ्गेषु बहु रत्नजातं बभूव ह / तासां मे कुर्वतः पूजां पापा मतिरजायत
hemnastadaṅgeṣu bahu ratnajātaṃ babhūva ha / tāsāṃ me kurvataḥ pūjāṃ pāpā matirajāyata
Pada anggota-anggota badan itu, sesungguhnya terdapat banyak perhiasan yang terbuat daripada emas dan pelbagai jenis permata; dan semasa hamba melakukan pemujaan kepada mereka, timbullah niat jahat dalam fikiran hamba.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Kanda dialogue)
Concept: Sin begins as a mental turn (pāpā matiḥ) before it becomes action; desire (lobha) is the seed of downfall.
Vedantic Theme: Vāsanā-driven mind binds; purification of intention is central to dharma and bhakti.
Application: Notice the first rise of covetous thought; apply counter-practices—contentment, remembrance of consequences, and accountability.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: temple sanctum/treasury-adjacent shrine
Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa: emphasis on mānasa-pāpa leading to naraka outcomes (contextual parallel)
FAQs
This verse highlights that even while performing pūjā, the mind can generate pāpā mati (sinful intention) when captivated by gold and jewels; inner purity is therefore essential for worship to remain dharmic and non-binding.
By showing that desire and impure intention can arise during religious acts, the verse implies that karma depends not only on external ritual but also on the mental state—an idea central to the Preta Kanda’s moral causality behind post-death outcomes.
Perform rituals and offerings without greed or display; keep worship simple, cultivate detachment, and watch the mind for craving—so that religious practice supports virtue rather than strengthening attachment-based karma.