Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

वैराग्यनालं तत्कन्दो वैष्णवो धर्म उत्तमः / कर्णिकायां स्थितं तत्र जीववन्निश्चलं विभु

Transliteration

vairāgyanālaṃ tatkando vaiṣṇavo dharma uttamaḥ / karṇikāyāṃ sthitaṃ tatra jīvavanniścalaṃ vibhu

Translation

Its stalk is vairāgya—holy dispassion; its bulb-root is the supreme Vaiṣṇava dharma. There, established in the central pericarp, the all-pervading Lord abides—motionless, yet as if living within.

Word by Word

• वैराग्यनालम्: the stalk of dispassion
• वैराग्यनालम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य-नाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा; समासः तत्पुरुषः (वैराग्यस्य नालम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (कन्दः)

• कन्दः: the bulb/root
• कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैष्णवः: Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मः)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्तमः: supreme
• उत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मः)

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

• स्थितम्: situated
• स्थितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (विभु)

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

• जीववत्: like a living being
• जीववत्: Sambandha/Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जीववत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त उपमानवाचक अव्यय (similative adverb)

• निश्चलम्: motionless
• निश्चलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (विभु)

• विभु: the all-pervading Lord
• विभु: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vairāgya supports the inner lotus; Vaiṣṇava dharma is the root; the all-pervading Lord abides unmoving in the heart’s center—devotion grounded in renunciation and right conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Paramātman immanence (antaryāmin) with supportive sādhana: dispassion and dharma as prerequisites for steady realization.

Application: Cultivate vairāgya (reduce compulsive craving), live Vaiṣṇava dharma (non-harm, purity, truthfulness, devotion), and meditate on the Lord as the still presence in the heart.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: inner garbhagṛha (subtle sanctum)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.38 (Oṁ as Parabrahman in the lotus); Garuda Purana 1.235.41 (lotus anatomy: jñāna/vijñāna)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vaiṣṇava Dharma

FAQs

What is the importance of vairāgya (dispassion) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents vairāgya as the ‘stalk’ that supports inner spiritual growth—without detachment from craving and fear, higher dharma and stable devotion cannot be sustained.

How does this verse describe where Bhagavān is realized?

It uses lotus imagery: in the karṇikā (the central core), the all-pervading Lord is ‘situated’—steady and unmoving—indicating inner realization through focused contemplation rather than external wandering.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily detachment (reduce compulsive desires), follow a Vaiṣṇava-centered ethical life (truthfulness, compassion, purity), and practice steady heart-centered meditation or nāma-japa to recognize the Lord’s presence within.