Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

नामरूपक्रियाहीनं सर्वं तत्परमं पदम् / जगत्कृत्वेश्वरो ऽनन्तं स्वयमत्र प्रविष्टवान्

Transliteration

nāmarūpakriyāhīnaṃ sarvaṃ tatparamaṃ padam / jagatkṛtveśvaro 'nantaṃ svayamatra praviṣṭavān

Translation

That supreme state is wholly beyond name, form, and action. Having created the universe, the infinite Lord Himself entered into it.

Word by Word

• नामरूपक्रियाहीनम्: devoid of name, form, and action
• नामरूपक्रियाहीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नाम-रूप-क्रिया-हीन = devoid of name, form, and action)

• सर्वम्: all (that)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); परम् इति विशेषणस्य विशेषणम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); पदम् इति विशेषणम्

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• जगत्कृत्वा: having created the world
• जगत्कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having made/created’; जगत् कर्मपदम्

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• अनन्तम्: the infinite (one)
• अनन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); (स्वम्/आत्मानम् इत्यध्याहार्य)

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः, कर्तृविशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable; ‘by himself’)

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

• प्रविष्टवान्: entered
• प्रविष्टवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + विश् (धातु) → प्रविष्ट (कृदन्त) + वान् (क्तवतुप्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (परिपूर्णभूतार्थक), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियापदवत् प्रयोगः (he has entered)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The supreme pada is beyond nāma-rūpa-kriyā; yet the infinite Lord creates the universe and pervades/enters it (immanence).

Vedantic Theme: Nirguṇa Brahman and saguṇa Īśvara relation; vivarta/adhyāropa-apavāda style: transcendence plus immanence.

Application: Contemplate the formless ground beyond labels while seeing all phenomena as pervaded by the same Lord; reduce reification of roles/identities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.236.4 (Tripura within advaya); Garuda Purana 1.236.6 (identity-knowledge for moksha)

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (the Lord)
• Ananta (the Infinite)

FAQs

What does 'beyond name, form, and action' mean in this Garuda Purana verse?

It points to the supreme reality (paramaṃ padam) as nirguṇa—transcending all limiting labels (name), appearances (form), and activities (action), even though it can be spoken of through them.

How does this verse explain God’s relation to the created world?

It states that after creating the universe, the infinite Lord 'entered' it—indicating immanence: the same supreme reality pervades and sustains the cosmos from within.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

See the divine presence within all beings and actions while remembering that the highest truth is not limited by external identities—supporting humility, ethical conduct, and steady meditation.