Shloka 26

Hari in the Primeval Waters: Prakṛti as Veil, the ‘Sleep’ Metaphor, and Brahmā’s Lotus-Channel Inquiry

Devanagari script

वृत्तिरूपं परं ज्ञानं पाद्यार्घ्यं नात्र संशयः / इन्द्रियाणामुपरतिः सुप्तिरित्युच्यते बुधैः

Transliteration

vṛttirūpaṃ paraṃ jñānaṃ pādyārghyaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ / indriyāṇāmuparatiḥ suptirityucyate budhaiḥ

Translation

المعرفةُ العُليا هي على هيئةِ vṛtti، أي تحوّلِ الذهن؛ وهي بعينها pādya (ماءُ غسلِ القدمين) وarghya القُربانُ الحقّ—لا ريبَ في ذلك. وأمّا سكونُ الحواسّ وانقطاعُ عملِها فذلك ما يسمّيه الحكماءُ «النوم».

Word by Word

• वृत्तिरूपम्: having the form of activity/mental modification
• वृत्तिरूपम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्ति + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—वृत्तेः रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ज्ञानम्)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाद्य-अर्घ्यम्: foot-water and offering-water
• पाद्य-अर्घ्यम्: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य + अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार-द्वन्द्व): पाद्यं च अर्घ्यं च; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: no/not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इन्द्रियाणाम्: of the senses
• इन्द्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उपरतिः: cessation/withdrawal
• उपरतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपरति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुप्तिः: sleep
• सुप्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vṛtti as the locus of knowing; true ‘offering’ is inner knowledge, and sleep is defined as indriya-uparati (cessation/withdrawal of senses).

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāropa–apavāda and internalization of ritual; pramāṇa-vṛtti and the distinction between consciousness and its modifications; sleep as a state characterized by sense-withdrawal.

Application: Treat worship as inner discipline: cultivate sattvic vṛtti through study and meditation; practice pratyāhāra (sense-withdrawal) and observe the transition into sleep as a teaching on mind and senses.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.11.27-30 (continuation on sleep, unreality, and ignorance)

Characters & Entities

• Indriyas (senses)
• Budhas (the wise)

FAQs

What is the importance of pādya and arghya in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse reframes pādya and arghya as inner offerings: supreme knowledge itself is treated as the highest act of reverence, surpassing mere external ritual.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul through states like sleep?

By defining sleep as the withdrawal of the senses, the verse points to a subtle understanding of consciousness—useful for grasping how the jīva relates to the body and senses in transitional states discussed in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sense-restraint and contemplative knowledge: daily practices like meditation and ethical self-control become ‘inner offerings,’ aligning ritual life with genuine spiritual insight.