Shloka 19

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

ते सर्वे विरजानद्यां सम्यक् स्नात्वा विसर्ज्य च / लिङ्गदेहं ततः पश्चान्मोक्षं विन्दन्ति ते हरेः

Transliteration

te sarve virajānadyāṃ samyak snātvā visarjya ca / liṅgadehaṃ tataḥ paścānmokṣaṃ vindanti te hareḥ

Translation

All of them, having bathed properly in the Virajā river and then casting off the subtle body, thereafter attain liberation that belongs to Hari (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• virajā-nadyām: in the river Virajā
• virajā-nadyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virajā (प्रातिपदिक) + nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: विरजाया नद्याम् (in the river Virajā)

• samyak: properly/thoroughly
• samyak: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक (adverb: properly/completely)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (स्ना धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘स्नात्वा’ = स्नानं कृत्वा (having bathed)

• visarjya: having discarded
• visarjya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√sṛj (सृज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘विसर्ज्य’ = त्यक्त्वा/विमोच्य (having cast off/released)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• liṅga-deham: the subtle body
• liṅga-deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: लिङ्गः देहः (subtle body)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः (thereafter/from that)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (afterwards)

• mokṣam: liberation
• mokṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vindanti: obtain
• vindanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद्/विन्द् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘विन्दन्ति’ = प्राप्नुवन्ति (they obtain)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; पुनरुक्त-प्रयोग (emphatic)

• hareḥ: of Hari
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; ‘हरेः’ = of Hari

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Snāna in Virajā and abandonment of the liṅga-deha culminate in mokṣa that is ‘of Hari’ (Hari-sambandhī mukti).

Vedantic Theme: Transcending subtle-body identification; liberation as cessation of upādhis and entry into the Lord’s state/abode.

Application: Cultivate detachment from subtle identifications (ego, vāsanā); practice Hari-smaraṇa and sattvic purification so that at the end there is effortless ‘casting off’ of the subtle body.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: transcendent river/tīrtha-boundary

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: liṅga-śarīra discussions in Pretakalpa/Mokṣa passages; Garuda Purana: Vaikuṇṭha/Hari-loka descriptions where liberation is framed as reaching Hari

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Viraja River
• Linga-deha (subtle body)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Virajā river in the Garuda Purana?

In this verse, bathing in the Virajā symbolizes final purification at the end of the post-death journey, enabling the soul to relinquish the subtle body and move toward liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It presents a culminating step: after proper purification (Virajā-snāna), the jīva abandons the liṅga-deha (the subtle body that carries impressions) and then attains Hari’s moksha.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live and practice in a way that reduces attachment and karmic residue—devotion to Hari and inner purification are emphasized as the conditions that ultimately support freedom from the subtle-body identity.