Shloka 5

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

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

मोक्षोपायम्यः स वोक्त मिततरत्तस्य साधनम् / गरुडेनैव मुक्तस्तु कृष्णो वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

mokṣopāyamyaḥ sa vokta mitatarattasya sādhanam / garuḍenaiva muktastu kṛṣṇo vacanamabravīt

Translation

Nachdem so der Weg zur Befreiung (mokṣa) und die Disziplinen zu ihrer Erlangung dargelegt waren, sprach Kṛṣṇa—von Garuḍa von der unmittelbaren Frage entbunden—darauf diese Worte.

Word by Word

• mokṣopāyaḥ: means of liberation
• mokṣopāyaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣopāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular. (Input 'mokṣopāyamyaḥ' is corrupted)

• yaḥ: which
• yaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• uktaḥ: said / declared
• uktaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) -> ukta
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular. (Input 'vokta' likely 'vā' + 'ukta' or 'prokta')

• mitataram: more measured / limited
• mitataram: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mitatara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular. (Input 'mitatarattasya' likely 'mitataram' + 'tasya')

• tasya: his / of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• sādhanam: means / instrument
• sādhanam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• garuḍena: by Garuda
• garuḍena: Karana (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic Particle

• uktaḥ: addressed / spoken to
• uktaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) -> ukta
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular. (Input 'mukta' likely typo for 'ukta' or 'pṛṣṭa')

• tu: but
• tu: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Krishna
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• vacanam: speech
• vacanam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• abravīt: spoke
• abravīt: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Lang Lakara (Imperfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Kṛṣṇa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mokṣa has upāya (means) and sādhana (disciplines); once clarified, the teacher proceeds to the next doctrinal point.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana-catuṣṭaya orientation: liberation is approached through defined means and disciplined practice under śāstra and guru-vākya.

Application: Treat liberation as practice-based: identify your primary means (bhakti/jñāna/karma-yoga) and adopt consistent disciplines (japa, śravaṇa, niyama) before seeking further metaphysical detail.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: mokṣa-upāya passages in Brahma-khanda (bhakti/jñāna emphases); Garuda Purana: dialogue structure—question by Garuḍa, response by Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the importance of mokṣopāya (means to liberation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse signals a transition into concise instruction: liberation is not accidental but attained through specified means (upāya) and disciplined practice (sādhanam) taught by Viṣṇu in the Garuḍa dialogue.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Rather than describing post-death travel here, the verse frames the teaching arc: after clarifying the method and its practice, Viṣṇu continues the discourse—implying that right knowledge and sādhanā are central to the soul’s ultimate release.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat spiritual goals as practice-based: adopt a consistent sādhanā (ethical living, devotion, study, and contemplation) aligned with a clear mokṣopāya rather than relying on occasional effort.