Shloka 1

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

ऽज्ञानहेतुनिरूपणं नामैकादशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / नाडीं समाविश्य महानुभावः श्रीविष्णुभक्तो त्वथ पुष्करस्थः / विचारयामास गुरुं स्वमूलं नारायणं निर्गुणमद्वितीयम्

Transliteration

'jñānahetunirūpaṇaṃ nāmaikādaśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / nāḍīṃ samāviśya mahānubhāvaḥ śrīviṣṇubhakto tvatha puṣkarasthaḥ / vicārayāmāsa guruṃ svamūlaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ nirguṇamadvitīyam

Translation

«(هذا هو) الفصل الحادي عشر المسمّى: “بيان أسباب (وسائل) المعرفة”. قال شري كريشنا: ثم إن ذلك العظيم النفس، العابد لشري فيشنو، المقيم في بوشكارا، لما دخل في النّادي (القناة الباطنة)، تأمّل مُعلِّمه الأصل—نارايانا—المنزَّه عن الصفات (نيرغونا) والواحد بلا ثانٍ.»

Word by Word

• ajñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇam: the exposition of the cause of ignorance
• ajñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇam: Karma/Viṣaya (कर्म/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक) + nirūpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ajñānasya hetuḥ → ajñānahetuḥ; tasya nirūpaṇam)

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (designation marker)

• ekādaśaḥ: eleventh
• ekādaśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal usage)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śrīkṛṣṇaḥ: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• śrīkṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīkṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nāḍīm: a channel (nāḍī)
• nāḍīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāḍī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• samāviśya: having entered
• samāviśya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• mahānubhāvaḥ: the great-souled one
• mahānubhāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + anubhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (mahān ca sa anubhāvaḥ)

• śrī-viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ: a devotee of Śrī Viṣṇu
• śrī-viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (viṣṇoḥ bhaktaḥ)

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

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक

• puṣkara-sthaḥ: situated on the lotus
• puṣkara-sthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (puṣkare sthitaḥ)

• vicārayāmāsa: reflected/considered
• vicārayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-car (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect) periphrastic, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• gurum: the teacher
• gurum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sva-mūlam: his own source
• sva-mūlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (svam mūlam)

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nirguṇam: without qualities (beyond guṇas)
• nirguṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (nārāyaṇam)

• advitīyam: non-dual, without a second
• advitīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The root-teacher and ultimate source is Nārāyaṇa—nirguṇa and advitīya—realized through devotion joined with deep inquiry.

Vedantic Theme: Nirguṇa-brahman identified with Nārāyaṇa; non-duality (advaita) as the highest truth, approached through purified devotion and contemplation.

Application: Combine bhakti (regular remembrance, worship) with contemplative study of non-duality; treat the divine as the ultimate guru and ground of being.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (sacred lake/region)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.11.46-48 (Brahmā’s inquiry and nāḍī-entry); Garuda Purana 3.12.2 (trace of ignorance even in Brahmā)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Śrī Viṣṇu
• Nārāyaṇa
• Puṣkara

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the chapter as an inquiry into what gives rise to true knowledge (and what underlies ignorance), grounding the teaching in contemplative devotion to Nārāyaṇa.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death travel, it points to an inner path: entering the subtle nāḍī and contemplating the non-dual, attributeless source (Nārāyaṇa) as the root of liberation-oriented understanding.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotion and daily contemplation—turn attention inward (prāṇa/awareness discipline) and reflect on the Supreme as the ultimate teacher and source, guiding ethical and focused living.