Shloka 4

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

इन्द्रजालमिदं मन्ये संसारे ऽसारसागरे / कर्ता को ऽत्र हृषीकेश संसारे दुः खसंकुले

Transliteration

indrajālamidaṃ manye saṃsāre 'sārasāgare / kartā ko 'tra hṛṣīkeśa saṃsāre duḥ khasaṃkule

Translation

I deem this worldly existence to be a magician’s illusion—an ocean of saṃsāra devoid of true essence. O Hṛṣīkeśa, in this world crowded with suffering, who indeed is the real doer here?

Word by Word

• इन्द्रजालम्: magic/illusion (Indra’s net)
• इन्द्रजालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + जाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रस्य जालम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मन्ये: I think/consider
• मन्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संसारे: in the world/cycle of existence
• संसारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• असारसागरे: in the ocean of insubstantiality
• असारसागरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असार + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (असारः सागरः)

• कर्ता: doer/agent
• कर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त (तृ-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• हृषीकेश: O Hrishikesha (Lord of the senses)
• हृषीकेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीक + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हृषीकाणाम् ईशः)

• संसारे: in the world
• संसारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• दुःखसंकुले: crowded with suffering
• दुःखसंकुले: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख + संकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दुःखैः संकुलः)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Hṛṣīkeśa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃsāra is māyā-like (indra-jāla); true agency is questionable—doership belongs not to the Self but to guṇas/karma under Īśvara’s order.

Vedantic Theme: Akartṛtva of ātman; guṇa-karma-vibhāga; māyā/avidyā as the basis of mistaken identification.

Application: Cultivate witness-consciousness; reduce egoic ‘I am the doer’ through self-inquiry, offering actions to Viṣṇu, and reflecting on guṇas and karma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: metaphorical landscape

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.5 (secret of the kośa; knowledge leading to omniscience); Garuda Purana 2.32.3 (nets of passions as bondage)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of viewing samsara as an 'indrajala' (illusion) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames worldly life as deceptive and unstable, encouraging vairagya (detachment) so one can focus on dharma and liberation rather than being trapped by fear, grief, and attachment—key themes in the Preta Kanda’s after-death instruction context.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

By questioning who the true 'doer' is in a suffering-filled world, the verse points toward deeper causality beyond mere ego—karma, divine order, and the subtle journey after death—preparing the listener to understand why rites, merit, and right conduct matter in the post-mortem trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce ego-driven reactions by remembering life’s instability; act responsibly (dharma) without obsession over control or outcomes, and cultivate devotion and inner discipline—especially relevant during bereavement, when the Garuda Purana urges steadiness and right action.