Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

स्वदेहधनदारादिनिरताः सर्वजन्तवः / जायन्ते च म्रियन्ते च हा हन्ताज्ञानमोहिताः

Transliteration

svadehadhanadārādiniratāḥ sarvajantavaḥ / jāyante ca mriyante ca hā hantājñānamohitāḥ

Translation

Alle Wesen, versunken in den eigenen Leib, in Reichtum, Gattin und dergleichen, werden geboren und sterben—weh, weh—vom Nichtwissen betört.

Word by Word

• स्व-देह-धन-दार-आदि-निरताः: engaged in one’s body, wealth, wife, etc.
• स्व-देह-धन-दार-आदि-निरताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (स्वदेहादिषु निरताः)

• सर्व-जन्तवः: all creatures
• सर्व-जन्तवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वे जन्तवः)

• जायन्ते: are born
• जायन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• म्रियन्ते: die
• म्रियन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• हा: alas
• हा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/शोकसूचक-अव्यय (interjection)

• हन्त: indeed/oh!
• हन्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हन्त (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/खेदसूचक-अव्यय (interjection)

• अज्ञान-मोहिताः: deluded by ignorance
• अज्ञान-मोहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानस्य मोहिताः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avidyā-moha causes beings to cling to body/wealth/spouse and thus revolve in birth and death.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra driven by avidyā and dehātmabuddhi; viveka as the implied remedy.

Application: Contemplate impermanence; reduce identification with body and possessions; cultivate inquiry into the Self and the transient nature of relationships and wealth.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Dharma sections): recurring critique of dehābhimāna and saṃsāra; Garuda Purana: emphasis on vairāgya and Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as antidotes to moha

Characters & Entities

• Jantavaḥ (living beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of detachment in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that clinging to body, wealth, and family keeps beings trapped in the cycle of birth and death, so detachment supports dharma and spiritual readiness for death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By identifying ignorance-driven attachment as the cause of repeated birth and death, it frames the after-death journey (preta-state teachings) as part of samsara that is overcome through right knowledge and dharmic living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live responsibly while remembering impermanence: reduce obsessive attachment, practice charity and dharma, and cultivate spiritual knowledge so death is faced with clarity rather than delusion.