Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स्वप्रकाशं निराकारं सदानं दमनादि यत् / नित्यं शुद्धं बुद्धमृद्धं सत्यमानन्दमद्वयम्

Transliteration

svaprakāśaṃ nirākāraṃ sadānaṃ damanādi yat / nityaṃ śuddhaṃ buddhamṛddhaṃ satyamānandamadvayam

Translation

That (Supreme Reality) is self-luminous and formless; ever-giving and the source of restraint and the like. It is eternal, pure, fully conscious and complete—truth itself, bliss (Ānanda), and non-dual.

Word by Word

• svaprakāśam: self-luminous
• svaprakāśam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva + prakāśa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; “self-luminous”

• nirākāram: formless
• nirākāram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; privative (nañ) sense via nir-

• sadānam: always
• sadānam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय) + na (particle) / or sadā + ānam (unclear reading)
• Form: Textual reading uncertain; treated as avyaya/adverbial marker meaning “always” (sadā) with possible enclitic; requires recension check

• damanādi: restraint and the like
• damanādi: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: damana + ādi (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga/समूहवाचक, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; “restraint etc.” (ādi-śabda)

• yat: which/that
• yat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to Brahman/that principle

• nityam: eternal
• nityam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana

• śuddham: pure
• śuddham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana

• buddham: awakened / conscious
• buddham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: buddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √budh)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; past participle used adjectivally = “awakened/knowing”

• ṛddham: full/prosperous
• ṛddham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana

• satyam: true
• satyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana

• ānandam: bliss
• ānandam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napुंसaka (usage varies), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; here as attribute “bliss”

• advayam: non-dual
• advayam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; nañ-tatpurusha sense “non-dual”

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman is self-revealing, formless, eternal, pure, fully conscious, complete—truth, bliss, and non-dual.

Vedantic Theme: Satya-jñāna-ānanda and advaya; svayaṃ-prakāśatva (self-luminosity) of consciousness; nirākāra Brahman as the final reality.

Application: Shift meditation from object-focus to awareness-of-awareness; recognize consciousness as self-evident; cultivate inner restraint (dama) as a natural expression of abiding in purity and non-duality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.44.5 (turīya/aham brahma culmination)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing Brahman as self-luminous (svaprakāśa) in the Garuda Purana?

It indicates the Self/Reality is known by itself (not dependent on external proofs), establishing it as the ultimate ground of knowledge and liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By defining the goal as the eternal, pure, non-dual Brahman, it frames liberation as realization of this Reality rather than mere post-death travel or ritual outcome.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate inner discipline (damana) and purity while reflecting on the Self as consciousness and truth; this aligns daily life with the pursuit of moksha.