Shloka 13

Devanagari script

नित्यः शुद्धो भूतियुक्तः सत्यानन्दाह्वयः परः / आत्माहं परमं ब्रह्म परमं ज्योतिरेव तु

Transliteration

nityaḥ śuddho bhūtiyuktaḥ satyānandāhvayaḥ paraḥ / ātmāhaṃ paramaṃ brahma paramaṃ jyotireva tu

Translation

我は常住にして清浄、神威を具し、「真実と歓喜（サティヤ・アーナンダ）」と称される至上者である。我はアートマン—すなわち最高のブラフマン、他ならぬ至上の光そのものである。

Word by Word

• नित्यः: eternal
• नित्यः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject attribute/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शुद्धः: pure
• शुद्धः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject attribute/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भूति-युक्तः: endowed with prosperity/power
• भूति-युक्तः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject attribute/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (भूत्या युक्तः)

• सत्य-आनन्द-आह्वयः: named ‘Truth-Bliss’
• सत्य-आनन्द-आह्वयः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject attribute/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; अर्थः—सत्य-आनन्द इति आह्वयः (नाम) यस्य

• परः: supreme
• परः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject attribute/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• आत्मा: Self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्म-विशेषण)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (ज्योतिः-विशेषण)

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (contrastive particle)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mahāvākya-style self-identification: the Self is eternal, pure, supreme Truth-Bliss, the highest Brahman, the supreme Light.

Vedantic Theme: Advaitic ātma-brahma-aikya; Brahman as sat-cit-ānanda and jyotis; negation of limitation through knowledge.

Application: Use as nididhyāsana/affirmation after meditation: contemplate ‘I am the Self, pure awareness’ while dropping body-mind identification; pair with ethical purification and steady dhyāna.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.44.11 (samādhi in Brahman); Garuda Purana 1.44.15 (desirelessness leading to liberation)

FAQs

What is the importance of realizing the Atman as Brahman in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames liberation as Self-knowledge: recognizing the inner Self as eternal, pure, and identical with the supreme Brahman—described as the highest Light.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than focusing on post-death geography, it points to the ultimate resolution of the soul’s journey: freedom comes through realizing one’s true identity as the pure, eternal Self beyond all limitation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily self-inquiry and remembrance of the Self’s purity (nitya-śuddha), aligning actions with truth (satya) and inner clarity to reduce fear, attachment, and unethical conduct.