Shloka 50

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

दशभागैश्च सत्त्वे तु मिश्रितं यद्र जस्तथा / तमस्यप्येकभागेन प्रविष्टं यत्तु तद्रजः

Transliteration

daśabhāgaiśca sattve tu miśritaṃ yadra jastathā / tamasyapyekabhāgena praviṣṭaṃ yattu tadrajaḥ

Translation

الراجَس إذا امتزج بالسَّتْفا قيل إنه يمتزج بعشرة أجزاء؛ وأما الراجَس الذي يدخل فيه ولو جزءٌ واحد من التَّمَس فيصير راجَسًا غيرَ طاهرٍ متأثرًا بالظلمة.

Word by Word

• दशभागैः: with ten parts
• दशभागैः: Karana (करण/Instrument-measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—दश + भाग (द्विगु)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्त्वे: in sattva
• सत्त्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• मिश्रितम्: mixed
• मिश्रितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘मिश्रित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• तमसि: in tamas
• तमसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• एकभागेन: with one part
• एकभागेन: Karana (करण/Instrument-measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—एक + भाग (द्विगु)

• प्रविष्टम्: entered
• प्रविष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+विश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘प्रविष्ट’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; रजः इति विशेषणम्

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Guṇas interpenetrate in specific proportions; rajas mixed into sattva differs from rajas tainted by tamas—indicating qualitative shifts due to admixture.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-viveka: subtle causality of mental/behavioral qualities; how tamas contaminates activity (rajas) and alters outcomes.

Application: Audit one’s ‘rajas’: distinguish energetic clarity (rajas under sattva) from agitated/dull activity (rajas under tamas); adjust lifestyle to increase sattva (sleep hygiene, diet, truthful speech, mindful action).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: 3.4.49 (vaiṣamya introduction); Adjacent guṇa-analysis passages in the same discourse (mixture and effects)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Sattva
• Rajas
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the importance of the three guṇas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights how the guṇas mix and condition behavior: sattva-refined rajas differs from tamas-tainted rajas, shaping one’s tendencies and therefore karma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in terms of karma?

By indicating that even a small tamasic influence can darken rajas, it implies that inner quality (guṇa-miśraṇa) affects actions and their fruits, which in turn influence post-death outcomes described elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Strengthen sattva (clarity, restraint, truthfulness) so that activity (rajas) becomes constructive, and reduce tamas (heedlessness, intoxication, laziness) to prevent ethical decline.