Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 102

Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas

Devanagari script

लोभजालपरिच्छिन्नं मोहवस्त्रेण वेष्टितम् / सुबद्धं मायया चैतल्लोभेनाधिष्ठितं पुरम्

Transliteration

lobhajālaparicchinnaṃ mohavastreṇa veṣṭitam / subaddhaṃ māyayā caitallobhenādhiṣṭhitaṃ puram

Translation

இந்த ‘நகரம்’ லோபத்தின் வலையால் சூழப்பட்டு, மோஹத்தின் ஆடையால் போர்த்தப்பட்டு; மாயையால் இறுக்கமாக கட்டப்பட்டு—லோபமே இதன் அதிஷ்டாதா (ஆளுநன்) ஆகின்றான்.

Word by Word

• लोभजालपरिच्छिन्नम्: enclosed by the net of greed
• लोभजालपरिच्छिन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोभ + जाल + परिच्छिन्न (कृदन्त; √छिद् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लोभस्य जालेन परिच्छिन्नम्)

• मोहवस्त्रेण: with the cloth of delusion
• मोहवस्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मोहस्य वस्त्रेण)

• वेष्टितम्: wrapped, covered
• वेष्टितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेष्टित (कृदन्त; √वेष्ट् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• सुबद्धम्: well-bound
• सुबद्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• मायया: by/with illusion
• मायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

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

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• लोभेन: by greed
• लोभेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• अधिष्ठितम्: ruled over, presided over
• अधिष्ठितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि-स्था (धातु) + अधिष्ठित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पुरम्: city, fortress
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lobha and moha, empowered by māyā, bind the embodied being; liberation requires cutting the net of greed and removing the veil of delusion.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā-āvaraṇa (veiling) and vikṣepa (projection) sustained by desire/greed; need for viveka-vairāgya to transcend the ‘pura’.

Application: Practice dāna (generosity) as antidote to lobha, cultivate satya and simplicity, and engage in self-inquiry to expose moha; reduce possessiveness through intentional minimalism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: ‘pura’ (city) metaphor continued; lists of inner enemies and their karmic consequences

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Maya

FAQs

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

This verse treats lobha as a ruling force that traps the being—greed becomes the ‘governor’ of embodied life, creating karmic bondage that affects the post-death journey.

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

By describing embodiment as a city bound by māyā and covered by delusion, it implies that unresolved greed and attachment shape the subtle body’s tendencies, influencing suffering and outcomes in Yama’s post-death order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce greed-driven actions (over-acquisition, exploitation) and cultivate clarity (discrimination, charity, restraint); this weakens the ‘net’ that binds karma and supports a dharmic life.