Shloka 30

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

तथाप्यहं कामहीनो हि नित्यं रुद्रादयः कामवन्तो यतोतः / शरीरिणस्ते बहिरर्थभावा अज्ञानवन्तो ऽपि च संस्मृताः खग

Transliteration

tathāpyahaṃ kāmahīno hi nityaṃ rudrādayaḥ kāmavanto yatotaḥ / śarīriṇaste bahirarthabhāvā ajñānavanto 'pi ca saṃsmṛtāḥ khaga

Translation

Dennoch bin ich ewig wunschfrei; Rudra und andere hingegen werden als begehrend beschrieben. Denn die Verkörperten wenden sich nach außen zu den äußeren Dingen; und — o Vogel (Garuda) — man gedenkt ihrer auch als dem Nichtwissen unterworfen.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (thus)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (even/also)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• काम-हीनः: devoid of desire
• काम-हीनः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (devoid of desire)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• रुद्र-आदयः: Rudra and others
• रुद्र-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (Rudra and others)

• काम-वन्तः: possessing desires
• काम-वन्तः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रुद्रादयः)

• यतः: since
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु-अव्यय (since/because)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu-phala (हेतु-फल/Result marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore)

• शरीरिणः: embodied beings
• शरीरिणः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'शरीरवन्तः' (embodied ones)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• बहिः-अर्थ-भावाः: outward-oriented (toward external objects)
• बहिः-अर्थ-भावाः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (having the nature/condition of external objects; outward-oriented)

• अज्ञान-वन्तः: possessing ignorance
• अज्ञान-वन्तः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञानवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ते)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

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

• संस्मृताः: are remembered/are described
• संस्मृताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि भाव (are remembered/are described)

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment fosters bahirmukhatva (outward orientation) and ajnana; desirelessness is a mark of higher realization beyond even divine roles.

Vedantic Theme: Avidya as cause of vishaya-vasana; distinction between svarupa-jnana and upadhi-bound states; asanga ideal.

Application: Reduce sensory overreach (indriya-nigraha), practice pratyahara, and cultivate witness-awareness to counter the outward pull of embodiment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana thematic parallels: indriya-nigraha and ajnana as bondage (general)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of desirelessness (kāmahīnatā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames desirelessness as a mark of the supreme, while desire is linked with embodiment and ignorance—implying that reducing craving supports liberation and clarity.

How does this verse explain the cause of ignorance in living beings?

It states that embodied beings become outward-turned toward external objects; this outward orientation is presented as a basis for being ‘remembered’ as subject to ajñāna (ignorance).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice restraint and inward attention—reduce compulsive sense-driven habits, cultivate discrimination, and align actions with dharma to weaken desire-born confusion.