Shloka 11

Atma-Jnana as the Direct Means to Moksha: Advaita, Maya, and the Three States

Devanagari script

कर्मणा बध्यते जन्तुर्ज्ञानान्मुक्तो भवाद्भवेत् / आत्मज्ञानन्त्वाश्रयेद्वै अज्ञानं यदतो ऽन्यथा

Transliteration

karmaṇā badhyate janturjñānānmukto bhavādbhavet / ātmajñānantvāśrayedvai ajñānaṃ yadato 'nyathā

Translation

El ser viviente queda atado por el karma, pero por el conocimiento se libera del devenir mundano. Por ello, en verdad debe uno refugiarse en el conocimiento del Sí mismo (ātma-jñāna); la ignorancia conduce a lo contrario, al cautiverio.

Word by Word

• कर्मणा: by action (karma)
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बध्यते: is bound
• बध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• जन्तुः: the creature (embodied being)
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ज्ञानात्: from knowledge
• ज्ञानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मुक्तः: freed
• मुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+मुच् (धातु) → मुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• भवात्: from worldly existence
• भवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become / would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आत्मज्ञानम्: Self-knowledge
• आत्मज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘आत्म-ज्ञान’ = आत्मविषयकं ज्ञानम् (knowledge of the Self)

• तु: but
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• आश्रयेत्: should resort to
• आश्रयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/खल्वर्थ (indeed/emphatic)

• अज्ञानम्: ignorance
• अज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Anvaya-link (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अतः: therefore / from this
• अतः: Avyaya (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थ (therefore/from this)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Avyaya (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma binds; knowledge liberates. Therefore, take refuge in ātma-jñāna; ignorance alone sustains saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as root of bondage; jñāna as direct means to mokṣa; karma’s role as binding when appropriated by doership (kartṛtva) and enjoyership (bhoktṛtva).

Application: Cultivate self-inquiry (ātma-vicāra), śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsana; reduce doership through niṣkāma action; observe how identification fuels karma-binding.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana jñāna-vairāgya passages in the same teaching sequence (contextual).

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Karma
• Jnana

FAQs

What is the importance of Atma-Jnana (Self-knowledge) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that karma binds the jiva, while knowledge liberates; therefore Self-knowledge is presented as the decisive refuge for freedom from samsara.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It contrasts two trajectories for the embodied being: action-driven attachment leading to continued becoming (bhava), and knowledge-driven awakening leading to release from that cycle.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act responsibly but reduce egoic attachment to results, and cultivate Self-inquiry, study, and meditation—so actions no longer reinforce ignorance and binding tendencies.