Shloka 8

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

मृतः परे ऽह्नि क्षेत्रज्ञः संजातो ऽयं गुणात्मकः / एकत्वे ऽपि पृथग्भावस्तथा क्षेत्रात्मनो नृप

Transliteration

mṛtaḥ pare 'hni kṣetrajñaḥ saṃjāto 'yaṃ guṇātmakaḥ / ekatve 'pi pṛthagbhāvastathā kṣetrātmano nṛpa

Translation

Wahai Raja, pada hari setelah kematian, sang kṣetrajña (pengetahu medan) lahir dalam wujud yang tersusun dari guṇa. Walau satu, tetap tampak perbedaan antara kṣetra (wadah jasmani) dan kṣetrātman (diri yang bersemayam).

Word by Word

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु √मृ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (of क्षेत्रज्ञः)

• परे: on the next
• परे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; विशेषण (of अह्नि)

• अह्नि: day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रज्ञः: knower of the field (self)
• क्षेत्रज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य ज्ञः)

• संजातः: has arisen/been born
• संजातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + जन् (धातु √जन्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• गुणात्मकः: made of the guṇas
• गुणात्मकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणाः आत्मा यस्य/गुणैः आत्मकः = constituted of qualities)

• एकत्वे: in oneness
• एकत्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Concessive particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive: even/though)

• पृथग्भावः: separateness
• पृथग्भावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (पृथक् इति भावः)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (likewise)

• क्षेत्रात्मनः: of the embodied self (field-self)
• क्षेत्रात्मनः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य आत्मा)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to a king as the addressed listener in this section)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After death, the conscious knower (kṣetrajña) appears associated with a guṇa-constituted form; despite essential oneness, apparent separateness between field (body/psyche) and indwelling Self arises.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle body (liṅga/guṇa-śarīra) as vehicle of saṃsāra; apparent duality due to upādhi; kṣetra–kṣetrajña viveka (cf. Gītā 13).

Application: Use death-awareness to loosen attachment; observe guṇa-driven reactions as ‘kṣetra’ phenomena; practice discrimination: ‘this is mind/body activity, not the Self’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of post-death subtle embodiment and journey; Garuda Purana: kṣetrajña/ātman discussions in mokṣa-oriented chapters

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrajña
• Guṇas
• Kṣetra
• Ātman

FAQs

What is the importance of the kṣetrajña (knower of the field) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that after death the conscious principle (kṣetrajña) continues, taking on a guṇa-based condition, which explains continuity of experience beyond the gross body.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It indicates an immediate post-death transition: the self persists and, due to guṇas, experiences an apparent separation from the former bodily field (kṣetra), setting the stage for further post-mortem journey and consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, compassion) through ethical living and disciplined practice, since guṇa-conditioning is presented as shaping one’s post-death state and perception.