Shloka 36

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

गुणादिपूर्णताभावान्नान्ये ब्रह्मेत्युदाहृताः / देशानन्त्यं गुणतः कालतो वा नास्त्यानन्त्यं क्वापि देशे च काले

Transliteration

guṇādipūrṇatābhāvānnānye brahmetyudāhṛtāḥ / deśānantyaṃ guṇataḥ kālato vā nāstyānantyaṃ kvāpi deśe ca kāle

Translation

Weil kein anderes Wesen Vollkommenheit an Eigenschaften und dergleichen besitzt, erklären die Weisen, dass kein anderer Brahman ist. Räumliche Unendlichkeit—ob man sie nach Eigenschaften oder nach Zeit beschreibt—gibt es in Wahrheit nirgends; an keinem Ort und zu keiner Zeit existiert wirkliche Unendlichkeit.

Word by Word

• गुणादि-पूर्णता-भावात्: because of the absence of completeness of qualities etc.
• गुणादि-पूर्णता-भावात्: Hetu/कारण (कारण-कारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + आदि + पूर्णता + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी? (न), तृतीया? (न) — नपुंसकलिङ्ग?; वास्तवतः: भावात् = भाव (पुं), पञ्चमी एकवचन (5th/पञ्चमी, Singular) ; समासः: गुणादि (गुण+आदि) + पूर्णता + भाव

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta/कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (1st/प्रथमा, Plural)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Pratipadya/उपपद-उद्धरण (quoted term)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (1st/2nd, Singular) — इति-उद्धरणे नाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• उदाहृताः: are called/are said
• उदाहृताः: Karta/कर्ता (predicate adjective of ‘अन्ये’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन (1st, Plural)

• देश-अनन्त्यम्: spatial infinitude
• देश-अनन्त्यम्: Karma/कर्म (object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश + अनन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (1st/2nd, Singular)

• गुणतः: in terms of qualities
• गुणतः: Adhikarana/अधिकरण (domain)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘in respect of/with regard to qualities’

• कालतः: in terms of time
• कालतः: Adhikarana/अधिकरण (domain)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘in terms of time’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya/क्रिया (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person, Singular)

• आनन्त्यम्: infinitude
• आनन्त्यम्: Karta/कर्ता (subject of अस्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (1st/2nd, Singular)

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Adhikarana/अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समुच्चय: स्थानवाचक अव्यय + अपि (indefinite ‘anywhere’)

• देशे: in space/place
• देशे: Adhikarana/अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (7th/सप्तमी, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• काले: in time
• काले: Adhikarana/अधिकरण (time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (7th/सप्तमी, Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Only the Supreme qualifies as Brahman; other beings lack complete fullness of qualities. Claims of spatial/temporal infinitude are ultimately untenable—true anantatva is not found in any finite locus of deśa-kāla.

Vedantic Theme: Deśa-kāla-pariccheda (limitation by space/time) as a mark of finitude; Brahman as beyond limitation; critique of misconstrued ‘infinite’ in empirical categories.

Application: Discriminate between poetic ‘infinite’ and metaphysical infinitude; anchor contemplation on the Supreme as beyond deśa-kāla, and treat all created powers as limited.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.2.35 (ananta-guṇa fullness of Hari); Garuda Purana 3.2.37 (Brahmā etc. lack infinite qualities)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the importance of Brahman being described as 'complete' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses completeness (pūrṇatā) as a defining marker of Brahman: since all other entities are limited in qualities, space, or time, only Brahman is affirmed as the truly complete and unsurpassable reality.

How does this verse explain the idea of infinity (ānantya) in place and time?

It cautions that what appears as spatial or temporal vastness is still conditioned and therefore not true infinitude; real 'infinite' being is not located in any particular place or time, aligning infinity with Brahman rather than with the cosmos.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat worldly experiences—status, possessions, even 'endless' pursuits—as inherently limited, and orient life toward inner discipline, knowledge, and devotion aimed at the complete reality (Brahman).