Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स तु तत्पदमाप्नोति स हि भूयो न जायते / विज्ञानसारथिर्यस्तु मनः प्रग्रहवान्नरः

Transliteration

sa tu tatpadamāpnoti sa hi bhūyo na jāyate / vijñānasārathiryastu manaḥ pragrahavānnaraḥ

Translation

But that person attains the Supreme Abode; indeed, he is not born again—he whose charioteer is discriminative knowledge (vijñāna), and who holds the mind firmly with the reins.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; modifies पदम्

• पदम्: state; abode; goal
• पदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of āpnoti

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (reason/emphasis)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• विज्ञानसारथिः: one whose charioteer is discernment
• विज्ञानसारथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान + सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘whose charioteer is discernment’ (as descriptor)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun qualifying naraḥ

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object within compound sense with प्रग्रहवान्

• प्रग्रहवान्: having control (reins)
• प्रग्रहवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रग्रहवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (वान्) ‘having reins/control’

• नरः: man; person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; head noun qualified by yaḥ...

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: With discriminative knowledge as charioteer and mind firmly reined, one attains the highest state and is not reborn.

Vedantic Theme: Apunaravritti (non-return) through viveka and mind-control; liberation as cessation of samsaric recurrence.

Application: Strengthen vijnana via study and reflection; stabilize mind through daily meditation and sense-restraint; measure progress by reduced compulsive reactivity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: transcendent abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.44.6-7 (means: chariot discipline and viveka); Garuda Purana 1.44.9 (Vishnu’s supreme abode named explicitly)

FAQs

What is the importance of mind-control (manaḥ-nigraha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that firm control of the mind, guided by discriminative knowledge, is a direct cause for attaining the supreme state and escaping repeated rebirth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It presents liberation as an inner discipline: when knowledge guides one’s life and the mind is held steady like reins, the seeker reaches the highest abode and is not compelled into further births.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate discernment (vijñāna) through study and reflection, and practice daily mind-restraint (attention, ethical living, meditation) so impulses do not drive actions that bind one to further karma.