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Shloka 27

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

कालो न ज्ञायते नानाकार्यैः संसारसम्भवैः / सुखं दुःखं जनो हन्त न वेत्ति हितमात्मनः

Transliteration

kālo na jñāyate nānākāryaiḥ saṃsārasambhavaiḥ / sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ jano hanta na vetti hitamātmanaḥ

Translation

لا يُدرَك الزمان، إذ تحجبه كثرة الأعمال الناشئة من السمسارة. آهٍ، إن الناس يطاردون اللذة ويفرّون من الألم، ولا يعرفون ما هو النافع حقًّا لذواتهم.

Word by Word
kālaḥtime
kālaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkāla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)
jñāyateis known/understood
jñāyate:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (ज्ञा धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
nānā-kāryaiḥby various activities/affairs
nānā-kāryaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootnānā (अव्यय) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘various’ qualifying ‘acts/affairs’
saṃsāra-sambhavaiḥarising from worldly existence
saṃsāra-sambhavaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsaṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhava (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी): ‘arising from saṃsāra’
sukhamhappiness
sukham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsukha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
duḥkhamsorrow
duḥkham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootduḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
janaḥa person/people
janaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootjana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
hantaalas/indeed
hanta:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्गार)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothanta (अव्यय)
FormExclamatory particle/interjection (उद्गार-अव्यय)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)
vettiknows
vetti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvid (विद् धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
hitamwelfare/benefit
hitam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roothita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
ātmanaḥof oneself
ātmanaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly activities obscure awareness of time; people pursue sukha and avoid duḥkha yet miss true ātma-hita (spiritual good).

Vedantic Theme: Preyas-śreyas confusion; avidyā expressed as compulsive engagement (pravṛtti) without viveka; need for inward turn.

Application: Audit daily activities; reduce compulsive pursuits; introduce pauses for remembrance of mortality, self-inquiry, and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.25-26 (urgency; practice now); Garuda Purana 2.49.28 (delusion as intoxication); Garuda Purana 2.49.29 (impermanence of wealth/youth/life)

FAQs

This verse warns that constant worldly activity makes one forget impermanence; remembering kāla supports dharma, detachment, and timely preparation for death-related duties.

By showing that attachment to sukha-duḥkha clouds discernment, it implies the soul’s journey is shaped by karma and clarity; right understanding in life helps avoid confusion and suffering after death.

Reduce compulsive busyness, practice daily reflection on impermanence, and choose actions aligned with long-term welfare (hita)—truthfulness, restraint, charity, and remembrance of dharma.

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