Shloka 25
चिन्त्या न तस्याकरजा विशेषा रूपे प्रमाणे च यतेत विद्वान् / न च व्यवस्थास्ति गुणागुणेषु सर्वत्र सर्वाकृतयो भवन्ति
cintyā na tasyākarajā viśeṣā rūpe pramāṇe ca yateta vidvān / na ca vyavasthāsti guṇāguṇeṣu sarvatra sarvākṛtayo bhavanti
No distinctive mark of Him can be grasped by thought as arising from any form. The wise should not strive to define Him by shape or measure. For in qualities and in non-qualities there is no fixed determination—everywhere He becomes all forms.
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: The Supreme cannot be fixed by thought into form/measure or into determinate categories of qualities and non-qualities; He manifests as all forms everywhere.
Vedantic Theme: Nirguṇa–saguṇa transcendence; anirvacanīyatā (indeterminability) and sarvavyāptitva (all-pervasiveness) of Brahman/Paramātman.
Application: In meditation and study, avoid rigid anthropomorphic or purely conceptual definitions; cultivate neti-neti discernment while honoring the Divine as immanent in all beings and forms.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda/teachings on the Supreme’s transcendence and immanence; nearby passages contrasting form-based worship with higher contemplation)
FAQs
This verse stresses that the Supreme cannot be captured by mental constructions of form or measurement, guiding the seeker toward transcendental knowledge rather than mere conceptual or ritual limitation.
By denying any fixed, graspable definition of the Supreme in terms of form and qualities, it points the soul away from attachment to appearances and toward realization of the all-pervading Reality, which is a key orientation for moksha.
Do not confine the Divine to rigid images, arguments, or measurements; cultivate humility in inquiry, deepen meditation and ethical living, and recognize the same Reality expressed through diverse forms and experiences.