Shloka 34

Atma-Jnana as the Direct Means to Moksha: Advaita, Maya, and the Three States

Devanagari script

अष्टाविंशतिभेदैस्तु त्रैगुण्यं विद्यते पृथक् / चतुरशीतिर्लक्ष्यन्ते नरनार्याकृतीनि च

Transliteration

aṣṭāviṃśatibhedaistu traiguṇyaṃ vidyate pṛthak / caturaśītirlakṣyante naranāryākṛtīni ca

Translation

Indeed, the three guṇas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—are found separately in twenty-eight distinct variations; and correspondingly, eighty-four kinds of human forms, male and female, are observed.

Word by Word

• अष्टाविंशतिभेदैः: by (means of) twenty-eight kinds of divisions
• अष्टाविंशतिभेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टाविंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अष्टाविंशतेः भेदाः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• त्रैगुण्यम्: the triad of qualities (three guṇas)
• त्रैगुण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैगुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पृथक्: separately/distinctly
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• चतुरशीतिḥ: eighty-four
• चतुरशीतिḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुरशीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)

• लक्ष्यन्ते: are perceived/are observed
• लक्ष्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'are observed')

• नरनार्याकृतीनि: forms (bodies) of men and women
• नरनार्याकृतीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (नर-नारी) + तत्पुरुष (नरनारीणाम् आकृतयः)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Triguṇa-bheda and the patterned manifestation of embodied forms (84 lakṣaṇa/ākṛti-bheda) as outcomes of guṇa-mixture.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti-vikāra and nāma-rūpa diversity; groundwork for discriminating puruṣa/ātman from guṇa-made embodiments.

Application: Use guṇa-analysis to observe tendencies (sattva/rajas/tamas) in oneself and reduce identification with bodily/psychological types.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khaṇḍa/ācāra-jñāna sections): triguṇa discussion and nāma-rūpa analysis (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas)
• Humans (male and female forms)

FAQs

What is the importance of the three guṇas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links embodied life to variations of sattva, rajas, and tamas, implying that character and destiny arise from how these guṇas combine and manifest in a being.

How does this verse explain differences among human beings?

It states that distinct gradations of the guṇas produce observable diversity—described here as eighty-four kinds of male and female human forms—indicating karma expresses itself through guna-patterned embodiment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, compassion) through ethical living and disciplined habits, since one’s dominant guṇa-pattern influences conduct and future outcomes.