Shloka 5

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

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

Devanagari script

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / कथयामि परं गोप्यं कोशस्यास्य विनिर्णयम् / यस्य विज्ञानमात्रेण सर्वज्ञत्वं प्रज्यते

Transliteration

śrīviṣṇuruvāca / kathayāmi paraṃ gopyaṃ kośasyāsya vinirṇayam / yasya vijñānamātreṇa sarvajñatvaṃ prajyate

Translation

Śrī Viṣṇu said: I shall declare the supreme secret—the decisive discernment of this sheath (kośa). By merely knowing it, omniscience is awakened.

Word by Word

• श्रीविष्णुः: Śrī Viṣṇu
• श्रीविष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् विष्णुः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथयामि: I tell/explain
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिजन्त)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गोप्यम्: secret
• गोप्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कोशस्य: of the sheath/treasury
• कोशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विनिर्णयम्: determination/decision
• विनिर्णयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + निर् + नी (धातु) + अच्/घञ्-भाव (प्रातिपदिक: विनिर्णय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यस्य: of which/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• विज्ञानमात्रेण: by mere knowledge
• विज्ञानमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (विज्ञानस्य मात्रम्)

• सर्वज्ञत्वम्: omniscience
• सर्वज्ञत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वं जानाति इति सर्वज्ञः; तस्य भावः)

• प्रज्यते: arises/is generated
• प्रज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is produced/arises)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kośa-vinirṇaya (discernment of the sheath) is a supreme secret; its realization yields comprehensive knowledge (sarvajñatva) in the sense of awakened right-seeing.

Vedantic Theme: Pañca-kośa viveka and ātma-jñāna: removing superimposition by discriminating Self from coverings; knowledge as liberating light.

Application: Study and contemplate kośa analysis; apply neti-neti to body, prāṇa, mind, intellect, and bliss-sheath; stabilize insight through meditation and devotion to Viṣṇu.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.6 (one-pointed listening; compassionate inquiry); Garuda Purana 2.32.3-4 (bondage by passions; illusion and doership question)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'kośa' (sheath) in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the kośa as a crucial, secret doctrine: correctly discerning the soul’s “covering” is presented as a decisive insight that supports liberation-oriented understanding, not merely ritual detail.

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

In the Preta Kanda setting, Viṣṇu emphasizes knowledge of the subtle “sheath” through which the jīva experiences states; such discernment clarifies what continues after death and what is ultimately to be transcended.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate self-inquiry and scriptural study aimed at discerning the self from its coverings (body/mind/subtle functions), so that rituals and duties are supported by clear spiritual understanding rather than performed mechanically.