Shloka 27

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः समाहृत्य हितो हि सः / सहसा सह बुद्ध्या च प्रत्याहारेषु संस्थितः

Transliteration

indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyaḥ samāhṛtya hito hi saḥ / sahasā saha buddhyā ca pratyāhāreṣu saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

Wahrhaft begünstigt ist, wer die Sinne von ihren Objekten zurücksammelt; sogleich, und zusammen mit unterscheidender Einsicht (buddhi), wird er in der Übung des pratyāhāra (Sinnesrückzug) gefestigt.

Word by Word

• indriyāṇi: the senses
• indriyāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्म

• indriya-arthebhyaḥ: from the objects of the senses
• indriya-arthebhyaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; इन्द्रिय-अर्थः = इन्द्रियाणां अर्थाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); अपादान

• samāhṛtya: having withdrawn/collected
• samāhṛtya: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√hṛ (हृ, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• hitaḥ: beneficial/wholesome
• hitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक; √dhā/√hi? lexical adj.)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सः)

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

• saḥ: he/that one
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्ता

• sahasā: forcibly/suddenly
• sahasā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: suddenly/forcibly)

• saha: with
• saha: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-शब्दः (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

• buddhyā: by/with the intellect
• buddhyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण

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

• pratyāhāreṣu: in the states/practices of pratyāhāra
• pratyāhāreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyāhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; अधिकरण

• saṃsthitaḥ: is established/steadfast
• saṃsthitaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (स्था, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pratyāhāra succeeds when senses are recollected promptly and guided by buddhi (discernment), yielding true welfare (hita).

Vedantic Theme: Buddhi-yukta vairāgya: discrimination supports withdrawal, preparing for dhāraṇā/dhyāna and self-knowledge.

Application: Use ‘buddhi-checks’: label distractions, decide to return, and re-anchor in mantra/breath; practice short cycles frequently to build reflexive withdrawal.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.26 (definition of pratyāhāra); Garuda Purana 1.235.28 (dhāraṇā in Brahman after prāṇāyāma)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of pratyāhāra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents pratyāhāra as a direct spiritual benefit: drawing the senses away from their objects, guided by buddhi, stabilizes the practitioner and supports higher meditation.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

By emphasizing control of the senses and discriminative intelligence, the verse points to inner discipline that reduces bondage to desire—one of the causes of karmic entanglement that shapes post-death trajectories.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly pause sensory impulses (screens, cravings, distractions), consciously redirect attention inward, and use buddhi (discernment) to choose what is wholesome—this is everyday pratyāhāra.