Shloka 21
Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa
On the Causes/Means of Knowledge
तव प्रसादाच्च मम प्रसादात्कालान्तरे तांश्च जानाति शेषः / दुष्कर्मलेशान्न तिरोहितान् गुणान्यानेव पूर्वं विदितान् स्वयोग्यान्
tava prasādācca mama prasādātkālāntare tāṃśca jānāti śeṣaḥ / duṣkarmaleśānna tirohitān guṇānyāneva pūrvaṃ viditān svayogyān
Par ta grâce et par ma grâce, en temps voulu Śeṣa en vient lui aussi à les connaître : ces mérites que n’obscurcit pas même une infime trace de mauvaises actions, ces qualités déjà reconnues auparavant comme convenant à la propre aptitude.
Lord Vishnu
Concept: Knowledge/merit becomes manifest by grace in time; pāpa can obscure perception, yet certain recognized, adhikāra-suited guṇas remain unhidden when not covered even by a trace of wrongdoing.
Vedantic Theme: Avaraṇa (obscuration) by karma; gradual unfolding (krama) of realization; purity as condition for clearer apprehension; grace as catalyst.
Application: Reduce ‘dुष्कर्म-लेश’ through ethical living and repentance; be patient with gradual spiritual maturation; trust that sincere practice preserves and clarifies earlier realizations.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): karma-based obscuration and purification; emphasis on purity for post-mortem welfare and liberation
FAQs
This verse frames karmic outcomes as not merely mechanical: by the grace of Vishnu (and the addressed listener), deeper truths about a being’s merits become known in time, indicating that prasāda can clarify and uphold virtue even amid karmic complexity.
It suggests that genuine merits (guṇa) appropriate to a soul’s nature (svayogya) may remain unhidden even if there is a slight admixture of wrongdoing, supporting the Garuda Purana theme that post-death evaluation considers both demerit and enduring merit.
Cultivate stable virtues and seek inner clarity through devotion and ethical living; even if minor lapses occur, consistent good qualities and sincere alignment with dharma are portrayed as enduring and recognizable over time.