Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तं च माया त्रिपुरमुच्यते / अत्रैवान्तर्गतं सर्वं शाश्वते नाद्वये पदे

Transliteration

jāgratsvapnasuṣuptaṃ ca māyā tripuramucyate / atraivāntargataṃ sarvaṃ śāśvate nādvaye pade

Translation

Waking, dreaming, and deep sleep—this Māyā is called the “threefold city” (Tripura). Yet all of this is contained within That very eternal, non-dual state (pada).

Word by Word

• जाग्रत्: waking (state)
• जाग्रत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाग्रत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); समाहारार्थे अवस्थावाचक-नाम

• स्वप्न: dream (state)
• स्वप्न: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); अवस्थावाचक-नाम

• सुषुप्तम्: deep sleep (state)
• सुषुप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुषुप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); अवस्थावाचक-नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• माया: Māyā (illusion/power)
• माया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• त्रिपुरम्: the ‘three cities’ (tripura)
• त्रिपुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि पुराणि यस्य/यत्)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present, 3rd sg)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अन्तर्गतं: included/contained within
• अन्तर्गतं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गम् (धातु) → अन्तर्गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (past participle; neuter nom/acc sg)

• सर्वम्: all (everything)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• शाश्वते: in the eternal
• शाश्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular); पदे इति विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• अद्वये: non-dual
• अद्वये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular); पदे इति विशेषणम्

• पदे: in the state/abode
• पदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The three states (jagrat-svapna-sushupti) are Māyā/Tripura, all contained in the eternal non-dual state (advaya pada).

Vedantic Theme: Avasthā-traya-viveka leading to recognition of Turīya/Advaya; Māyā as superimposition within Brahman.

Application: Practice state-witnessing: observe waking/dream/sleep as objects of awareness; cultivate discrimination (viveka) toward the non-dual ground.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.236.5-8 (nirguna pada; entry of Ishvara; aham-brahmasmi; shravana-manana-nididhyasana)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Māyā
• Tripura
• Advaya-pada

FAQs

What is the importance of Tripura (threefold city) in this Garuda Purana verse?

Tripura here symbolizes the three experiential domains—waking, dream, and deep sleep—through which Māyā presents reality; the verse points beyond them to the non-dual ground that contains all three.

How does this verse explain liberation (moksha) in Garuda Purana terms?

It implies moksha as recognition of the ‘advaya pada’—the eternal non-dual state—within which the changing states (jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti) arise and subside without altering the Real.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate witness-awareness: observe waking, dream-like mental projections, and deep rest as changing states, and anchor practice (japa, meditation, dharma) in the steady recognition of the non-dual Self beyond them.