Shloka 11

Devanagari script

कर्मणा बध्यते जन्तुर्ज्ञानान्मुक्तो भवाद्भवेत् / आत्मज्ञानन्त्वाश्रयेद्वै अज्ञानं यदतो ऽन्यथा

Transliteration

karmaṇā badhyate janturjñānānmukto bhavādbhavet / ātmajñānantvāśrayedvai ajñānaṃ yadato 'nyathā

Translation

Das Lebewesen wird durch Karma gebunden, doch durch Erkenntnis wird es vom weltlichen Werden befreit. Darum soll man wahrlich Zuflucht nehmen zur Selbsterkenntnis (ātma-jñāna); Unwissen führt zum Gegenteil, zur Fesselung.

Word by Word

• कर्मणा: by action (karma)
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बध्यते: is bound
• बध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• जन्तुः: the creature (embodied being)
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ज्ञानात्: from knowledge
• ज्ञानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मुक्तः: freed
• मुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+मुच् (धातु) → मुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• भवात्: from worldly existence
• भवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become / would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आत्मज्ञानम्: Self-knowledge
• आत्मज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘आत्म-ज्ञान’ = आत्मविषयकं ज्ञानम् (knowledge of the Self)

• तु: but
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• आश्रयेत्: should resort to
• आश्रयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/खल्वर्थ (indeed/emphatic)

• अज्ञानम्: ignorance
• अज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Anvaya-link (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अतः: therefore / from this
• अतः: Avyaya (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थ (therefore/from this)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Avyaya (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma binds; knowledge liberates. Therefore, take refuge in ātma-jñāna; ignorance alone sustains saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as root of bondage; jñāna as direct means to mokṣa; karma’s role as binding when appropriated by doership (kartṛtva) and enjoyership (bhoktṛtva).

Application: Cultivate self-inquiry (ātma-vicāra), śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsana; reduce doership through niṣkāma action; observe how identification fuels karma-binding.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana jñāna-vairāgya passages in the same teaching sequence (contextual).

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Karma
• Jnana

FAQs

What is the importance of Atma-Jnana (Self-knowledge) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that karma binds the jiva, while knowledge liberates; therefore Self-knowledge is presented as the decisive refuge for freedom from samsara.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It contrasts two trajectories for the embodied being: action-driven attachment leading to continued becoming (bhava), and knowledge-driven awakening leading to release from that cycle.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act responsibly but reduce egoic attachment to results, and cultivate Self-inquiry, study, and meditation—so actions no longer reinforce ignorance and binding tendencies.