Shloka 44

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

गुणत्रयेपि भगवान्महत्तत्त्वस्य चाण्डज / एवं लयस्तु ज्ञातव्यो हृदि तत्त्वार्थवोदिभिः

Transliteration

guṇatrayepi bhagavānmahattattvasya cāṇḍaja / evaṃ layastu jñātavyo hṛdi tattvārthavodibhiḥ

Translation

O Eiergeborener (Garuda), der selige Herr, Bhagavān, ist selbst in den drei Guṇas und im Mahat-tattva gegenwärtig. So ist der Vorgang der Auflösung (laya) im Innern, im Herzen, von denen zu erkennen, die den wahren Sinn der Tattvas verstehen.

Word by Word

• गुण-त्रये: in the triad of qualities
• गुण-त्रये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुणानां त्रयम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (त्रये)

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

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• महत्-तत्त्वस्य: of the Mahat-tattva
• महत्-तत्त्वस्य: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महत् तत्त्वम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• अण्डज: O egg-born (Garuda)
• अण्डज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (thus)

• लयः: dissolution/merging
• लयः: Karta/Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• ज्ञातव्यः: should be known
• ज्ञातव्यः: Vidhi (विधेय/आदेश)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñātavya (कृदन्त; √jñā ज्ञा धातु, तव्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; gerundive agreeing with लयः

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन

• तत्त्व-अर्थ-वोदिभिः: by those who expound the meaning of tattva
• तत्त्व-अर्थ-वोदिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + vād-in (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (तत्त्वस्य अर्थः) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘तत्त्वार्थ’; तद्वोदी = तत्त्वार्थं वदति इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān pervades the three guṇas and mahat-tattva; true knowers understand laya (dissolution) inwardly in the heart.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin/immanence: the Lord as inner ruler present in all evolutes; dissolution as inward withdrawal of identification leading toward liberation-oriented insight.

Application: Contemplate the Lord’s presence in all mental qualities (sattva/rajas/tamas) and in cosmic intelligence (mahat); practice inward absorption (pratyāhāra/dhyāna) to witness ‘laya’ as subsiding of thought into awareness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.45

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Vishnu)
• Garuda (Aṇḍaja)

FAQs

What is the importance of laya (dissolution) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames laya as a metaphysical reabsorption of principles into their source, to be understood through tattva-knowledge rather than only as an external cosmic event.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By stressing inner understanding of tattvas in the heart, it points to discernment of guṇas and cosmic principles as part of spiritual insight that supports liberation-oriented understanding of life, death, and reabsorption.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate self-inquiry into how sattva, rajas, and tamas operate in your mind, and use that discernment to reduce attachment and stabilize devotion/clarity—seeing the Divine as present within all states.