Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अध्यक्षं जाग्रदादीनां शान्तरूपं सुरेश्वरम् / जाग्रदादिस्थितं नित्यं कार्यकारणवर्जितम्

Transliteration

adhyakṣaṃ jāgradādīnāṃ śāntarūpaṃ sureśvaram / jāgradādisthitaṃ nityaṃ kāryakāraṇavarjitam

Translation

He is the overseer of the waking state and the other states, the Lord of the gods whose very nature is peace; ever present in waking and the rest, eternal, and free from the chain of cause and effect.

Word by Word

• अध्यक्षम्: the overseer, presiding witness
• अध्यक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेष्यरूपेण (appositional object)

• जाग्रत्-आदीनाम्: of the waking etc. (states)
• जाग्रत्-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाग्रत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘जाग्रत् आदि’ इति समाहारः—जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-सुषुप्त्यादीनाम्

• शान्त-रूपम्: of peaceful form
• शान्त-रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अध्यक्षम् इत्यस्य)

• सुर-ईश्वरम्: Lord of the gods
• सुर-ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सुराणाम् ईश्वरः’

• जाग्रत्-आदि-स्थितम्: situated in the waking etc. (states)
• जाग्रत्-आदि-स्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाग्रत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘जाग्रदादिषु स्थितम्’—विशेषणम्

• नित्यम्: eternal, always
• नित्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पूर्वपदानां)

• कार्य-कारण-वर्जितम्: devoid of effect and cause
• कार्य-कारण-वर्जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त; √वृज्/वर्ज् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘कार्यकारणाभ्यां वर्जितम्’—विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Īśvara/Ātman as the witness of the three states, ever-present and free from kārya-kāraṇa (cause-effect).

Vedantic Theme: Avasthā-traya-viveka; sākṣitva; ajāti/akartṛtva; Brahman beyond causality.

Application: Practice self-inquiry: observe waking/dream/sleep as objects; rest as the witnessing awareness; reduce identification with changing states and karmic narratives.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.91.11-14 (same teaching sequence on subtlety, bliss, turīya, nirvikāratva)

Characters & Entities

• Sureśvara (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'witness of waking, dream, and sleep' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse points to the Supreme as the constant overseer present through all states of experience, guiding the seeker toward recognizing the changeless Self behind changing mental conditions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing the Lord as ever-present and beyond causality, it implies that liberation comes from identifying with the eternal witness rather than with the karmic, state-bound experiences of the embodied soul.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily self-observation—notice waking, dream, and sleep as changing states—and practice steadiness, ethics, and meditation to rest in the peaceful, causality-free witness.