Shloka 35

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

तन्निमज्जज्जगदिदं गम्भीरे कालसागरे / मृत्युरोगजराग्राहैर्न कश्चिदपि बुध्यते

Transliteration

tannimajjajjagadidaṃ gambhīre kālasāgare / mṛtyurogajarāgrāhairna kaścidapi budhyate

Translation

Diese ganze Welt sinkt in den tiefen Ozean der Zeit hinab; von den Krokodilen des Todes, der Krankheit und des Alters gepackt, erwacht niemand wahrhaft zur Wirklichkeit.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जगत्’ इति विशेषण

• निमज्जत्: sinking
• निमज्जत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present Active Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जगत्’ इति विशेषण—‘sinking’

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• गम्भीरे: in the deep
• गम्भीरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘सागरे’ इति विशेषण

• कालसागरे: in the ocean of time
• कालसागरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल-सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘कालस्य सागरः’

• मृत्युरोगजराग्राहैः: by the crocodiles of death, disease, and old age
• मृत्युरोगजराग्राहैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु-रोग-जरा-ग्राह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; साधन/हेतु—‘by the crocodiles (of) death, disease, old age’

• न: not
• न: क्रियानिषेध (Kriyā-niṣedha/क्रियानिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चित (indefinite pronoun)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle

• बुध्यते: understands/realizes
• बुध्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Samsara is a drowning in Time; death, disease, and old age bind beings who fail to awaken to reality.

Vedantic Theme: Anitya (impermanence) and samsara-duhkha as catalysts for vairagya and viveka.

Application: Contemplate mortality daily; reduce attachment; prioritize sadhana (nama-japa, dhyana, sat-sanga) over procrastination.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic metaphor (ocean)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated impermanence motifs and urgency for shraddha/dharma (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Kala (Time)
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'ocean of Time (kāla-sāgara)' in the Garuda Purana?

It frames worldly life as continually being carried toward decay and death, urging detachment and timely spiritual practice rather than complacency.

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

By stressing that death is inevitable and often unrecognized, it motivates preparation for the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda—through dharma, repentance, and proper rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily remembrance of impermanence, prioritize dharmic conduct, and plan necessary family duties and end-of-life rituals without postponing spiritual disciplines.