Shloka 60

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

गुणपूर्णस्य विष्णोस्तु निर्गुणत्वविचिन्तनम् / जातानन्दादिपूर्णाङ्ख्यं सोहमित्यादिचिन्तनम्

Transliteration

guṇapūrṇasya viṣṇostu nirguṇatvavicintanam / jātānandādipūrṇāṅkhyaṃ sohamityādicintanam

Translation

Debe contemplarse que Viṣṇu—aunque se le describa como colmado de atributos—en verdad está más allá de toda cualidad (nirguṇa). Contémplese también la plenitud expresada como dicha innata y lo semejante, y meditaciones como “so’ham”: «Yo soy Él».

Word by Word

• गुणपूर्णस्य: of the one full of qualities
• गुणपूर्णस्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण-पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; गुण + पूर्ण)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; qualifying विष्णोः

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय)

• निर्गुणत्वविचिन्तनम्: contemplation on (his) being without qualities
• निर्गुणत्वविचिन्तनम्: Karma/Topic (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्गुणत्व-विचिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक; निर्गुणत्व + विचिन्तन)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; abstract noun

• जातानन्दादिपूर्णाङ्ख्यम्: termed 'born bliss etc., full (of ...)'
• जातानन्दादिपूर्णाङ्ख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात-आनन्द-आदि-पूर्ण-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; जात + आनन्द + आदि + पूर्ण + आख्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; qualifying (implicit) 'चिन्तनम्/विचिन्तनम्' as 'called/termed...'

• सोऽहम्: I am He
• सोऽहम्: Visheshya-bhava (समानााधिकरण/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सः + अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronouns in apposition; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; sandhi form of सः अहम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Indeclinable used as 'etc.' (समुच्चयार्थक)

• चिन्तनम्: contemplation
• चिन्तनम्: Karma/Topic (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Meditate on Vishnu as ultimately nirguṇa despite saguṇa descriptions; contemplate fullness as cid-ānanda and mahāvākya-style identity (so’ham).

Vedantic Theme: Saguna–nirguna reconciliation; Brahman as sat-cit-ānanda; mahāvākya-anusandhāna (identity contemplation) oriented to liberation.

Application: Daily dhyāna: begin with Vishnu’s auspicious attributes, then dissolve forms into nirguṇa awareness; use ‘so’ham’/‘aham brahmāsmi’-type contemplation with ethical purification and steadiness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.61-62 (rejecting defective imaginings about the divine)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of contemplating Vishnu as nirguṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that even when Vishnu is praised with divine qualities, the highest contemplation is His transcendence beyond all limiting qualities—supporting liberation-oriented meditation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By prescribing contemplations like nirguṇa-vicintana and “so’ham,” it points to jñāna-yoga: dissolving identification with the limited self and recognizing the Self’s unity with the supreme reality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use daily meditation: reflect on the divine beyond labels and repeat “so’ham” with calm attention, cultivating detachment from ego and steadiness in ethical living.