Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

तृतीयभागो विज्ञेयो नात्र कार्या विचारणा / तथा मूले च तमसि ह्येको भागस्तमः स्मृतः

Transliteration

tṛtīyabhāgo vijñeyo nātra kāryā vicāraṇā / tathā mūle ca tamasi hyeko bhāgastamaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Wisse, dass es einen dritten Anteil gibt — hier ist keine weitere Erwägung nötig. Ebenso ist an der Wurzel, in der Dunkelheit (Tamas), ein Anteil wahrlich als Tamas überliefert.

Word by Word

• तृतीय-भागः: the third part
• तृतीय-भागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तृतीयः भागः)

• विज्ञेयः: is to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• कार्या: necessary
• कार्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be done/necessary)

• विचारणा: consideration/inquiry
• विचारणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय

• मूले: in the root
• मूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• तमसि: in tamas
• तमसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भागः: part
• भागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तमः: tamas
• तमः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is regarded
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is considered/remembered as’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A third portion is posited; at the causal root one portion is specifically tamas—emphasizing fixed proportionality in the evolute’s constitution.

Vedantic Theme: Discrimination of prakṛti’s modalities; recognizing tamas as the obscuring principle at the base of manifestation.

Application: When inertia/confusion dominates, identify it as tamas and counterbalance with sattvic routines (sleep discipline, clarity practices, mantra, study).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.61; Garuda Purana 3.4.63

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the importance of tamas (darkness) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies tamas as a distinct “portion” or principle, emphasizing its foundational role in obscuration and ignorance within the framework of the gunas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing to tamas as a root-level condition, the verse implies that spiritual progress requires recognizing and reducing tamasic ignorance, which otherwise binds the jiva to confusion and lower states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate clarity and restraint—reduce tamasic habits (laziness, intoxication, harmful actions) and strengthen sattvic disciplines (truthfulness, cleanliness, prayer, study) to align life with dharma.