Shloka 14

Atma-Jnana as the Direct Means to Moksha: Advaita, Maya, and the Three States

Devanagari script

अद्वयत्वान्न को ऽप्यस्ति बोधत्वाज्जडता कुतः / एकोद्दिष्टं यदन्यस्य मतिवाग्गतिसंस्थिति (म्)

Transliteration

advayatvānna ko 'pyasti bodhatvājjaḍatā kutaḥ / ekoddiṣṭaṃ yadanyasya mativāggatisaṃsthiti (m)

Translation

実在は不二であるがゆえに、そもそも「他」は存在しない。しかもそれは清浄なる覚知であるゆえ、どうして無知の鈍さがあり得ようか。他に属すると指し示される心・言葉・動き・状態も、真実には一者より離れてはいない。

Word by Word

• अद्वयत्वात्: from non-duality
• अद्वयत्वात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्वयत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• अस्ति: exists/is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बोधत्वात्: from consciousness/knowingness
• बोधत्वात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बोधत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• जडता: inertness
• जडता: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जडता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• कुतः: from where?/how possible?
• कुतः: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• एकोद्दिष्टम्: pointed out as one/singly indicated
• एकोद्दिष्टम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + उद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) from √दिश्/√दिश् (to point/indicate) with उपसर्ग उद्

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative)

• अन्यस्य: of another
• अन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• मति: mind/thought
• मति: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (in compound-base usage), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (in compound-base usage), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• गति: movement
• गति: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (in compound-base usage), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• संस्थितिम्: state/condition
• संस्थितिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; (समासे) मतिवाग्गतिसंस्थिति-इति तत्पुरुषसमासस्य उत्तरपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Advaita: no real ‘other’; consciousness alone, so inertness and separative attributes are superimpositions.

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāropa–apavāda; nāmarūpa as mithyā upon Brahman/Ātman; ekatva of cit.

Application: Practice neti-neti on ‘mine/other’; observe mind, speech, and bodily movement as appearances in awareness; reduce reactivity by seeing no second entity to oppose.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda/teachings on jñāna and māyā; nearby verses on waking-dream-sleep and non-duality)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of non-duality (advaita) in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses advaita to deny any ultimate ‘otherness’: when Reality is one and conscious, distinctions like separate agents and inert matter are only apparent, supporting liberation through right knowledge.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing beyond mind, speech, and motion as merely attributed distinctions, it implies the soul’s true nature is consciousness itself; realizing this reduces bondage to fear, change, and post-death identifications.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice discrimination: observe mind and speech as changing instruments, not the Self; cultivate steadiness, truthfulness, and self-inquiry to live with less ego-driven conflict and more dharmic clarity.