Shloka 35

Atma-Jnana as the Direct Means to Moksha: Advaita, Maya, and the Three States

Devanagari script

एषुविश्वं प्रभवति खण्डजं मायया यथा / आदावन्ते च सन्त्येते नामरूपक्रियादयः

Transliteration

eṣuviśvaṃ prabhavati khaṇḍajaṃ māyayā yathā / ādāvante ca santyete nāmarūpakriyādayaḥ

Translation

In diesen (Elementen/Zuständen) entsteht das Universum und erscheint, als sei es zersplittert und unterschieden, gleichsam durch Māyā hervorgebracht. Am Anfang wie am Ende bleiben diese bestehen: Name, Gestalt, Handlung und die übrigen weltlichen Unterscheidungen.

Word by Word

• एषु: in these
• एषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रभवति: arises/comes into being
• प्रभवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• खण्डजम्: born of parts/fragmentary
• खण्डजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √जन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (खण्डात् जातम्)

• मायया: by māyā/illusion
• मायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलना-वाचक (comparative particle)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (idiomatic: 'in the beginning')

• अन्ते: in the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

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

• सन्ति: are/exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• नामरूपक्रियादयः: name, form, action, and the rest
• नामरूपक्रियादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (नाम-रूप-क्रिया-आदयः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The universe appears differentiated (khaṇḍaja/khanda-vat) through māyā; nāma, rūpa, kriyā and related distinctions persist as the framework of worldly experience across beginnings and endings.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa as superimposition (adhyāsa) upon Brahman; māyā as the principle of apparent multiplicity.

Application: Practice viveka: notice how ‘name/form/function’ structure perception; loosen reification by seeing them as conceptual overlays.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana jñāna passages on māyā and nāma-rūpa (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Maya

FAQs

What is the importance of māyā in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse uses māyā to explain how the one reality is experienced as a divided, differentiated universe—an appearance of fragmentation rather than an ultimate split.

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

By emphasizing nāma-rūpa-kriyā (name, form, action), it points to the framework through which beings experience karma and embodiment—categories that condition the jīva’s worldly and post-death experiences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat worldly identities and roles (name/form/actions) as transient; act ethically without clinging, and use spiritual practice to see beyond mere appearances.