Shloka 15

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

ततश्च द्विगुणं ज्ञेयं सत्त्वावरणमुत्तमम् / त्रयश्चैवं मिलित्वा तु एकावरणमीरितम्

Transliteration

tataśca dviguṇaṃ jñeyaṃ sattvāvaraṇamuttamam / trayaścaivaṃ militvā tu ekāvaraṇamīritam

Translation

Dann ist zu erkennen, dass die vortreffliche Verhüllung des sattva das Doppelte (davon) ist. Und so werden die drei (Verhüllungen), wenn sie sich vereinen, als eine einzige Umhüllung (āvaraṇa) bezeichnet.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter/from that
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb); अर्थे: तस्मात्/ततः (from that/thereafter)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• dviguṇam: twofold/double
• dviguṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• jñeyam: to be known
• jñeyam: Vidhi (विधेय/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धाातु) + ya (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ज्ञेय’ = ज्ञातव्यम् (to be known)

• sattva-āvaraṇam: the covering of sattva
• sattva-āvaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): सत्त्वस्य आवरणम्

• uttamam: supreme/excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• trayaḥ: the three
• trayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-शब्द (numeral)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक (adverb of manner)

• militvā: having joined together
• militvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mil (धाातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘मिलित्वा’ = मिलित्वा/समागम्य (having joined)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• eka-āvaraṇam: one covering
• eka-āvaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ: एकं आवरणम् (a single covering)

• īritam: is stated/declared
• īritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īr (धाातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ईरित’ = उक्तम्/प्रोक्तम् (said)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sattva too functions as āvaraṇa; together tamas-rajas-sattva form a single enclosure.

Vedantic Theme: Even sattva, though luminous, can be a subtle veil; liberation requires transcending all three guṇas (guṇātīta).

Application: Cultivate sattva for steadiness but do not cling to ‘purity’ as identity; practice witnessing awareness and devotion to transcend guṇas.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.10.13-14 (tamas/rajas coverings); Garuda Purana 3.10.16 (Hari beyond the unmanifest)

Characters & Entities

• Sattva
• Āvaraṇa
• Guṇas

FAQs

What is the importance of āvaraṇa (covering) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames āvaraṇa as a technical “enclosure” formed from guṇa-based layers, explaining how consciousness appears conditioned by combined qualities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing guṇa-coverings merging into a single enclosure, it hints that the jīva’s experience is shaped by compounded conditioning, which must be understood (and ultimately transcended) for liberation-oriented knowledge.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, truthfulness) and observe how mixed impulses (rajas/tamas) “combine” into habits—then consciously simplify and purify conduct to reduce inner obscuration.