Shloka 72

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

Devanagari script

एकांशस्तमसो ज्ञेयस्तत्र भागाञ्छृणु द्विजा / आदौ तु द्वादशांशेषु भागान्वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु

Transliteration

ekāṃśastamaso jñeyastatra bhāgāñchṛṇu dvijā / ādau tu dvādaśāṃśeṣu bhāgānvakṣyāmi tacchṛṇu

Translation

Wisset, dass ein Anteil als tamas, die „Finsternis“, zu erkennen ist. Nun hört, o Zweimalgeborene (dvija), seine Unterteilungen. Zuerst werde ich die Teile darlegen, die in zwölf Anteile gegliedert sind — hört dies.

Word by Word

• एकांशः: one part
• एकांशः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (एकः अंशः)

• तमसः: of tamas
• तमसः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known
• ज्ञेयः: विधेय (Obligation/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: यत्/अनीयर्-भावे ‘ज्ञेय’ (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agreeing with एकांशः

• तत्र: there/in that
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• भागान्: parts
• भागान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: क्रिया (Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (पाठे ‘द्विजा’ इति; सम्बोधन-बहुवचन/प्रथमा-बहुवचन सम्भवः, किन्तु सम्बोधनार्थः)

• आदौ: at first
• आदौ: अधिकरण (Temporal locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial locative: ‘in the beginning’)

• तु: however
• तु: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• द्वादशांशेषु: among/in the twelve parts
• द्वादशांशेषु: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्वादश अंशेषु)

• भागान्: parts
• भागान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• वक्ष्यामि: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: क्रिया (Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, addressing the twice-born as audience in the discourse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tamas as a single portion within the scheme; methodical breakdown of guṇa portions (dvādaśāṃśa framing).

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-vibhāga as a tool for understanding prakṛti’s operations and loosening identification with mental darkness (āvaraṇa).

Application: Notice tamasic inertia/confusion as a distinct ‘portion’ in experience; counter with sāttvika routines (sleep hygiene, clarity practices) and reduce rājasic overstimulation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.71–75 (continuous guṇa-portion exposition)

Characters & Entities

• Dwijas
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the importance of tamas in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames tamas (darkness/ignorance) as a measurable principle with defined subdivisions, indicating that spiritual ignorance is analyzed systematically rather than treated vaguely.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By introducing graded divisions of tamas, it implies that the soul’s post-death experience and moral-spiritual condition can be understood through degrees of obscuration, which later teachings connect to karma and states of consciousness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat ignorance and harmful habits as gradable and correctable—identify the ‘portion’ of tamas in one’s conduct and reduce it through disciplined living, study, and sattvic practices.