Shloka 66

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

पञ्चधातुमये कृष्णे हरिरूपविचिन्तनम् / स्वयं व्यक्तस्थले चापि चिदा नन्दत्वकल्पनम्

Transliteration

pañcadhātumaye kṛṣṇe harirūpavicintanam / svayaṃ vyaktasthale cāpi cidā nandatvakalpanam

Translation

تأمّلْ صورةَ هَري في كريشنا—ذلك الجسد المؤلَّف من العناصر الخمسة—؛ وحتى في الموضع الذي يتجلّى فيه بذاته، فلتتأمّلْ طبيعته بوصفها وعيًا خالصًا (چِت) ونعيمًا (آنَندا).

Word by Word

• pañcadhātumaye: in the five-metal (image)
• pañcadhātumaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca + dhātu + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; adjective qualifying kṛṣṇe; ‘made of five metals’ (पञ्चधातुमयः)

• kṛṣṇe: in Kṛṣṇa (the idol/representation)
• kṛṣṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• hari-rūpa-vicintanam: contemplation of Hari’s form
• hari-rūpa-vicintanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari + rūpa + vicintana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; action-noun ‘contemplation’

• svayam: by oneself / directly
• svayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• vyakta-sthale: in a manifest place
• vyakta-sthale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyakta + sthala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘manifest place’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; particle (निपात) expressing inclusion ‘also/even’

• cidā: by consciousness
• cidā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘by consciousness/awareness’

• nandatva-kalpanam: attribution of blissfulness
• nandatva-kalpanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandatva + kalpana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘imagining/attributing’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hold two complementary contemplations: (1) Hari within Kṛṣṇa’s pañcadhātu (elemental) embodiment; (2) the same Hari as cidānanda—pure consciousness and bliss—transcending material composition.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-to-nirguna contemplation; Brahman as sat-cit-ānanda; body as bhūta-made upādhi while the indwelling reality is consciousness.

Application: In deity worship, begin with form-meditation (rūpa-dhyāna) and culminate in formless awareness (cidānanda-bhāvanā); use temple/tīrtha visits to deepen inner absorption rather than remain at external darśana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha/manifestation-site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.63 (inner reality in avatāras); Garuda Purana 3.12.64 (antaryāmin contemplation)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the importance of contemplating Hari’s form in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames liberation-oriented practice as sustained contemplation (vicintana/bhāvanā) of Hari—seeing Kṛṣṇa as the divine form and fixing the mind on that reality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing inner contemplation of the Lord as consciousness-bliss (cit-ānanda), it points to a mind-training that loosens identification with the five-element body and supports movement toward moksha.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily japa or dhyāna with a clear Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa form (rūpa) and conclude by resting attention in the idea of the Lord as pure awareness and bliss (cidānanda).