Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

अस्ति देवः परब्रह्मस्वरूपो निष्कलः शिवः / सर्वज्ञः सर्वकर्ता च सर्वेशो निर्मलो ऽद्वयः

Transliteration

asti devaḥ parabrahmasvarūpo niṣkalaḥ śivaḥ / sarvajñaḥ sarvakartā ca sarveśo nirmalo 'dvayaḥ

Translation

Es gibt einen göttlichen Herrn, dessen Wesen das höchste Brahman ist: teil-los, heilvoll, allwissend, der Urheber von allem, Herr über alles, makellos und nicht-zwei (advaya).

Word by Word

• अस्ति: there is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present indicative, 3rd person singular

• देवः: a God
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• पर-ब्रह्म-स्वरूपः: whose nature is the Supreme Brahman
• पर-ब्रह्म-स्वरूपः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परं ब्रह्म तस्य स्वरूपः); nominative singular masculine

• निष्कलः: partless, without divisions
• निष्कलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• शिवः: Śiva/auspicious one
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• सर्वज्ञः: all-knowing
• सर्वज्ञः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं जानाति); nominative singular masculine

• सर्व-कर्ता: doer of all
• सर्व-कर्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं करोति); nominative singular masculine

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction

• सर्व-ईशः: lord of all
• सर्व-ईशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य ईशः); nominative singular masculine

• निर्मलः: pure, stainless
• निर्मलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• अद्वयः: non-dual
• अद्वयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord is identical with Parabrahman: partless, stainless, omniscient, the Lord of all, non-dual.

Vedantic Theme: nirguṇa-brahman with īśvara-language; reconciliation of saguna descriptors with advaita essence.

Application: Contemplate the listed lakṣaṇas (nirmala, advaya, niṣkala) during japa/meditation to refine God-concept from anthropomorphic to non-dual purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring Brahman/Viṣṇu identity statements in mokṣa-oriented chapters

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Parabrahman
• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of Parabrahman (Supreme Brahman) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse anchors the teaching that beyond rituals and post-death procedures stands the non-dual Supreme Reality—pure, all-governing, and the ultimate refuge for liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By defining the Supreme as non-dual, pure, and all-knowing, it implies that true release from preta states and fear of Yama’s realm is grounded in right knowledge and devotion to the highest Reality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate remembrance of the pure, non-dual Lord through ethical living, prayer/recitation, and inner discipline—so actions and grief-related rites are guided by clarity rather than fear.