Shloka 10

Devanagari script

तुरीयः परमो धाता दृग्रूपो गुणवर्जितः / मुक्तो बुद्धो ऽजरो व्यापी सत्य आत्मास्म्यहं शिवः

Transliteration

turīyaḥ paramo dhātā dṛgrūpo guṇavarjitaḥ / mukto buddho 'jaro vyāpī satya ātmāsmyahaṃ śivaḥ

Translation

I am Turiya, the Fourth, the Supreme Sustainer; of the nature of pure witnessing awareness, free from the guṇas. Liberated and awakened, undecaying and all-pervading—true indeed is the Self: I am Śiva.

Word by Word

• तुरीयः: the fourth (transcendent state)
• तुरीयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुरीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine nominative singular; adjective)

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• धाता: creator, sustainer
• धाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धा (धातु) + तृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृन्त (agent noun)

• दृग्-रूपः: whose nature is pure seeing
• दृग्-रूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृग् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दृगः रूपः = whose form is vision/seeing)

• गुण-वर्जितः: devoid of qualities (gunas)
• गुण-वर्जितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (वृज्/वर्ज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• मुक्तः: liberated
• मुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• बुद्धः: awakened, enlightened
• बुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुध् (धातु) + क्त → बुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• अजरः: ageless
• अजरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्-उपसर्ग) + जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ (negation)

• व्यापी: all-pervading
• व्यापी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याप् (धातु) + इन् (कृत्) → व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive/agentive)

• सत्यः: true
• सत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• आत्मा: Self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आत्मन्-शब्द (irregular stem)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (pronoun)

• शिवः: Śiva; auspicious one
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper/appellative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra in an Advaita-oriented self-knowledge context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ātman as Turiya—guna-free, witnessing, liberated, all-pervading; identity statement of the true Self.

Vedantic Theme: Advaita/ātma-brahma-aikya; nirguṇa-brahman and sākṣin (witness) consciousness.

Application: Contemplate the witness in all states; practice neti-neti toward guna-transcendence; stabilize in turiya through meditation and self-inquiry.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.14.11 (meditation leading to that state); Garuda Purana 1.14.12 (recitation leading to Vishnuloka); Garuda Purana 1.15.2 (Vishnu-nāma leading to moksha)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Atman
• Turiya
• Gunas

FAQs

What is the importance of Turiya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Turiya as the true Self—pure witnessing awareness beyond the three common states—presenting it as the liberated, all-pervading reality free from the guṇas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death travel or judgment, it points to the highest resolution of the soul’s journey: realizing the Ātman as timeless, guṇa-less, and already liberated—ending fear and bondage at the root.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice witness-awareness (observing thoughts and emotions without identification) and cultivate guṇa-transcending virtues (non-attachment, truthfulness); use the verse as a daily contemplation for inner steadiness and freedom.