Shloka 47
Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa
On the Causes/Means of Knowledge
दैत्यानां मोहनार्थाय अंशे दुः खीव दृश्यते / तस्या दुः खादिकं किञ्चिन्नास्तिनास्त्येव सर्वथा
daityānāṃ mohanārthāya aṃśe duḥ khīva dṛśyate / tasyā duḥ khādikaṃ kiñcinnāstināstyeva sarvathā
Afin d’abuser les Daityas, Elle apparaît—seulement en partie—comme si Elle était atteinte de souffrance ; mais en vérité, en Elle il n’existe ni douleur ni rien de semblable : jamais, d’aucune manière.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Apparent affliction is a partial, strategic appearance to delude hostile beings; in truth the divine principle is untouched by sorrow.
Vedantic Theme: Māyā/līlā: appearance without intrinsic modification (vikāra-rahitatva); distinction between empirical display and absolute nature.
Application: Do not judge ultimate reality by surface appearances; apply viveka when confronted with seeming contradictions in sacred narratives or in life events.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.46 (Bhāratī always knowledge and sorrowless)
FAQs
This verse shows that the Divine can assume an appearance (such as sorrow) for a specific cosmic purpose—here, to bewilder the Daityas—while remaining untouched by suffering in reality.
It states that She is only seen 'as if' sorrowful in a partial manifestation, but intrinsically no sorrow exists in Her at all—highlighting the Purāṇic theme that the Divine is beyond worldly afflictions.
Do not judge ultimate reality by surface appearances; cultivate discernment (viveka) and steadiness, remembering that temporary displays of emotion or hardship may not reflect the deeper truth.