Shloka 5

Brahma-dhyāna: From Purification to Samādhi

Meditation on Brahman and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

तुरीयमक्षरं ब्रह्म अहमस्मि परं पदम् / अहं ब्रह्मेत्यवस्थानं समाधिरपि (रिति) गीयते

Transliteration

turīyamakṣaraṃ brahma ahamasmi paraṃ padam / ahaṃ brahmetyavasthānaṃ samādhirapi (riti) gīyate

Translation

“I am the Fourth (turīya), the Imperishable Brahman; I am the supreme abode. Abiding in the realization ‘I am Brahman’—that state too is praised as samādhi.”

Word by Word

• turīyam: the fourth (turiya)
• turīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: turīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; “the fourth (state)” qualifying brahma

• akṣaram: imperishable
• akṣaram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; “imperishable” qualifying brahma

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; pronoun

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; qualifying padam

• padam: state/abode
• padam: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominal/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominal/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana; in quotation “I (am) Brahman”

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle (iti-nipāta)

• avasthānam: abiding/state
• avasthānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avasthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana

• samādhiḥ: samādhi
• samādhiḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; in apposition to avasthānam

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (emphasis/additive)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle; supplied from parenthetical (riti) as iti

• gīyate: is sung/said
• gīyate: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; ātmanepada; karmaṇi-prayoga (passive sense)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Realization ‘I am turīya, the imperishable Brahman; I am the supreme abode’; abiding as ‘I am Brahman’ is praised as samādhi.

Vedantic Theme: Mahāvākya-style identity (aham brahmāsmi) and turīya doctrine; samādhi as jñāna-niṣṭhā (abidance in non-dual awareness).

Application: Contemplate and internalize the ‘I am Brahman’ recognition beyond ego; practice steady abidance (not mere repetition) through meditation, self-inquiry, and reducing identification with waking/dream/sleep states.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.44.2-1.44.4 (restraint, negation, and positive Brahman attributes leading to this culmination)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Turīya
• Samādhi

FAQs

What is the importance of turīya in Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies turīya as the imperishable Brahman itself—the transcendental state that leads to the supreme goal (paraṃ padam).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It points to liberation through inner realization: stabilizing in the knowledge “I am Brahman” is described as samādhi, indicating freedom through direct spiritual insight rather than external rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice meditation that cultivates steady self-awareness beyond waking/dream/sleep, and reflect on non-dual identity (“I am Brahman”) as a discipline of detachment and clarity.