Shloka 20

Devanagari script

साम्यावस्था गुणकृता प्रकृतिस्तत्र कर्णिका / कर्णिकायां स्थितो देवो देही चिद्रूप एव हि

Transliteration

sāmyāvasthā guṇakṛtā prakṛtistatra karṇikā / karṇikāyāṃ sthito devo dehī cidrūpa eva hi

Translation

In the equilibrium-state wrought by the guṇas, Prakṛti there is like the lotus’s central pericarp. In that pericarp abides the Divine; and the embodied self (dehī) is indeed of the very nature of consciousness (cit).

Word by Word

• साम्यावस्था: the state of equilibrium
• साम्यावस्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थे: ‘साम्यस्य अवस्था’ = state of equilibrium)

• गुणकृता: produced by the guṇas
• गुणकृता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘कृत’—करणकर्तृक/हेतुवाचकः; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘गुणैः कृता’ = made by the guṇas)

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: there)

• कर्णिका: the pericarp (lotus-center)
• कर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कर्णिकायाम्: in the pericarp
• कर्णिकायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• स्थितः: situated
• स्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• देवः: the Lord/deity
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• देही: the embodied one (soul)
• देही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चिद्रूपः: of the nature of consciousness
• चिद्रूपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘चित् एव रूपम् यस्य’ = whose nature is consciousness)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (particle: only/indeed)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणबोधक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prakṛti in guṇa-sāmya is the central pericarp; within it abides the Divine, while the dehī is of the nature of consciousness (cit).

Vedantic Theme: Cit as the essential nature of the self; prakṛti as insentient support; proximity of jīva and īśvara/puruṣa in the inner seat (antaryāmin motif).

Application: Meditate on guṇa-sāmya (balanced mind) and inquire ‘I am cit, not guṇas’; cultivate witness-consciousness while observing prakṛti’s movements.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: subtle-body locus

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.19 (petals as tanmātras/guṇas); Garuda Purana 1.235.21 (transcending pury-aṣṭaka and prakṛti for mokṣa)

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Gunas
• Deva
• Dehi (Jiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of samyāvasthā (equilibrium) in Garuda Purana?

It points to Prakṛti in a balanced condition of the guṇas, a philosophical baseline from which manifestation and embodied experience are explained.

How does this verse explain the nature of the soul (dehī)?

It states that the dehī is essentially cidrūpa—consciousness itself—distinguishing the self from material Prakṛti and its guṇas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate discernment: observe changing moods and qualities (guṇas) as part of Prakṛti, while grounding identity in awareness (cit) through meditation, ethical restraint, and self-study.