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

یہ ‘شہر’ لالچ کے جال سے گھِرا ہوا، فریب کے کپڑے میں لپٹا ہوا ہے؛ مایا نے اسے سختی سے باندھ رکھا ہے—اور اسی لالچ کی اس پر حکمرانی ہے۔

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.