Shloka 18

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

एक एव हरिः पूर्वं ह्यविद्यावशतः स्वयम् / अनेको भवति ह्यारादादर्शप्रतिर्बिबवत्

Transliteration

eka eva hariḥ pūrvaṃ hyavidyāvaśataḥ svayam / aneko bhavati hyārādādarśapratirbibavat

Translation

Hari (Viṣṇu) est en vérité Un, et pourtant, sous l’emprise de l’ignorance, Il paraît devenir multiple, tel un seul visage qui semble se multiplier par les reflets d’un miroir.

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of हरिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphatic: only/indeed)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-रूप)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: formerly)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात

• अविद्यावशतः: due to the power of ignorance
• अविद्यावशतः: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अविद्यावशतस् (प्रातिपदिक: अविद्या + वश)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘due to/from’), तत्पुरुष (अविद्यायाः वशः)

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता; emphasis on agent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb: by oneself)

• अनेकः: many/manifold
• अनेकः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात

• आरात्: from a distance
• आरात्: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आरात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: from afar/at a distance)

• आदर्शप्रतिः: a mirror-reflection
• आदर्शप्रतिः: Upamana (उपमान; illustrative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर्शप्रतिः (प्रातिपदिक: आदर्श + प्रति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आदर्शे प्रति/आदर्शस्य प्रतिः = reflection in a mirror)

• बिबवत्: like (a reflection/image)
• बिबवत्: Upamana (उपमान-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बिबवत् (कृदन्त; √भा/√भास्?; here ‘bimba-vat’ sense)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (comparative particle: like/as)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One Hari appears as many due to avidyā, like one face multiplied in a mirror through reflections.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā/avidyā as the principle of apparent plurality; non-dual substratum with illusory multiplicity (ābhāsa).

Application: When confronted with fragmentation (self/others/world), recall the single underlying reality; reduce fear/attachment by seeing multiplicity as appearance; deepen devotion to Hari as the one ground.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.2.14 (reflection meaning); Garuda Purana 3.2.15 (unity across Kṛṣṇa/Rāma); Garuda Purana 3.2.17 (ignorance of source)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of avidya (ignorance) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse states that multiplicity is an appearance caused by avidya; reality is the oneness of Hari, while “many” is like a reflection-based illusion.

How does this verse explain the difference between the One and the many?

It uses the mirror-reflection analogy: one entity can seem like many through reflections, similarly the one Hari appears as diverse forms to the ignorant view.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate discrimination (viveka) and devotion with clarity: see unity behind differences, reduce ego-based divisions, and pursue knowledge that dissolves ignorance.