Shloka 15

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

ततश्च द्विगुणं ज्ञेयं सत्त्वावरणमुत्तमम् / त्रयश्चैवं मिलित्वा तु एकावरणमीरितम्

Transliteration

tataśca dviguṇaṃ jñeyaṃ sattvāvaraṇamuttamam / trayaścaivaṃ militvā tu ekāvaraṇamīritam

Translation

ثمّ يُعلَم أن حجاب السَّتْوَة (sattva) الممتاز هو ضعفُ ذلك. وهكذا إذا اجتمعت الحُجُب الثلاثة معًا قيل إنها تُكوِّن إحاطةً واحدة (آوَرَنَة).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter/from that
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb); अर्थे: तस्मात्/ततः (from that/thereafter)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• dviguṇam: twofold/double
• dviguṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• jñeyam: to be known
• jñeyam: Vidhi (विधेय/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धाातु) + ya (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ज्ञेय’ = ज्ञातव्यम् (to be known)

• sattva-āvaraṇam: the covering of sattva
• sattva-āvaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): सत्त्वस्य आवरणम्

• uttamam: supreme/excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• trayaḥ: the three
• trayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-शब्द (numeral)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक (adverb of manner)

• militvā: having joined together
• militvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mil (धाातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘मिलित्वा’ = मिलित्वा/समागम्य (having joined)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• eka-āvaraṇam: one covering
• eka-āvaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ: एकं आवरणम् (a single covering)

• īritam: is stated/declared
• īritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īr (धाातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ईरित’ = उक्तम्/प्रोक्तम् (said)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sattva too functions as āvaraṇa; together tamas-rajas-sattva form a single enclosure.

Vedantic Theme: Even sattva, though luminous, can be a subtle veil; liberation requires transcending all three guṇas (guṇātīta).

Application: Cultivate sattva for steadiness but do not cling to ‘purity’ as identity; practice witnessing awareness and devotion to transcend guṇas.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.10.13-14 (tamas/rajas coverings); Garuda Purana 3.10.16 (Hari beyond the unmanifest)

Characters & Entities

• Sattva
• Āvaraṇa
• Guṇas

FAQs

What is the importance of āvaraṇa (covering) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames āvaraṇa as a technical “enclosure” formed from guṇa-based layers, explaining how consciousness appears conditioned by combined qualities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing guṇa-coverings merging into a single enclosure, it hints that the jīva’s experience is shaped by compounded conditioning, which must be understood (and ultimately transcended) for liberation-oriented knowledge.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, truthfulness) and observe how mixed impulses (rajas/tamas) “combine” into habits—then consciously simplify and purify conduct to reduce inner obscuration.