Shloka 41

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

तस्योपरि गुणैश्वर्यमष्टपत्रं सरोरुहम् / ज्ञानं तु कर्णिका तत्र विज्ञानं केसराः स्मृताः

Transliteration

tasyopari guṇaiśvaryamaṣṭapatraṃ saroruham / jñānaṃ tu karṇikā tatra vijñānaṃ kesarāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Upon that is the lotus of sovereign mastery over the guṇas, having eight petals. There, jñāna—knowledge—is said to be its central pericarp, and vijñāna—realized discernment—is remembered as its stamens.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• गुणैश्वर्यम्: lordship over the guṇas
• गुणैश्वर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण-ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (विधेय); समासः तत्पुरुषः (गुणानाम् ऐश्वर्यम्)

• अष्टपत्रम्: eight-petaled
• अष्टपत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट-पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (सरोरुहम्); समासः द्विगुः (अष्टौ पत्राणि यस्य)

• सरोरुहम्: lotus
• सरोरुहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्-रुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सरसि रुहति इति/सरसः रुहम्)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात

• कर्णिका: the pericarp (central whorl)
• कर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there/in it
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• विज्ञानम्: discriminative knowledge
• विज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केसराः: stamens
• केसराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are said/considered
• स्मृताः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय (केसराः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cultivate sovereignty over guṇas; establish jñāna at the center and vijñāna (realized, discriminative knowing) as the flourishing capacity that radiates outward.

Vedantic Theme: From conceptual knowledge (jñāna) to realized knowledge (vijñāna); inner mastery (aiśvarya) as freedom from guṇic compulsion.

Application: Meditate on an eight-petaled heart-lotus: stabilize understanding at the center, then refine it into lived discernment in action (vijñāna).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: inner yogic lotus / subtle chakra-like symbol

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.42 (vairāgya stalk; Vaiṣṇava dharma root; Lord in pericarp)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Guṇas
• Jñāna
• Vijñāna

FAQs

What is the importance of the eight-petaled lotus in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the eight-petaled lotus as a spiritual map: mastery over the guṇas forms the lotus, with jñāna as its center and vijñāna as its living, operative expression—pointing toward liberation-oriented inner development.

How does this verse explain the difference between jñāna and vijñāna?

It places jñāna as the core (karṇikā)—the essential knowledge—while vijñāna is the stamens (kesarāḥ), indicating applied, realized discernment that actively functions in spiritual life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate knowledge through study and reflection (jñāna), then convert it into lived discernment (vijñāna) by observing and mastering reactive tendencies tied to the guṇas in daily decisions.