Shloka 16

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

अपिक्षितं च तत्रादौ गुणसाम्यं न संशयः / सम्यग्ज्ञापयितुं तत्र खादौ तावत्स्वगेश्वर

Transliteration

apikṣitaṃ ca tatrādau guṇasāmyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ / samyagjñāpayituṃ tatra khādau tāvatsvageśvara

Translation

そこでは、まさに初めに、グナ（諸性質）の均等な釣り合いが必須であり、疑いはない。ゆえに正しく説き明かすために、おお自らの眷属の主よ、定められた食物などの前提から説き起こすべきである。

Word by Word

• api: also/indeed
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (also/indeed)

• īkṣitam: is seen/considered
• īkṣitam: Kriyā-bhāva (क्रियाभावः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is observed/considered’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tatra: there/in that context
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ādau: at the beginning
• ādau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; adverbial locative ‘in the beginning’

• guṇa-sāmyam: equilibrium of the guṇas
• guṇa-sāmyam: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘equality of guṇas’

• na: not/no
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• samyak: properly, correctly
• samyak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• jñāpayitum: to explain/make known
• jñāpayitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñap (धातु) + tumun (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to make known/explain’

• tatra: there/in that matter
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• khaga-ādau: O bird (Garuḍa), at first
• khaga-ādau: Sambodhana/Adhikaraṇa (सम्बोधन/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘O bird-lord, in the beginning…’ (vocative sense intended, but form is locative)

• tāvat: so far/for the time being
• tāvat: Avadhi (अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (so much/for that long)

• svageśvara: O lord (of heaven/birds)
• svageśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svaga (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (as read in text; likely intended khageśvara)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Guṇa-sāmya (equilibrium of the guṇas) as the necessary starting condition; exposition should begin with preliminaries (āhāra-ādi) to make the doctrine intelligible.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti/guṇa framework as a propaedeutic to metaphysical analysis; disciplined inquiry begins with right ordering of causes and conditions.

Application: Cultivate balance (sattva-supporting habits) and begin any study/practice with foundational disciplines—diet, conduct, and preparatory definitions—before subtle metaphysics.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.17-20 (guṇa aggregation and prakṛti derivation)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa (Vinātā-putra)

FAQs

What is the importance of guṇa-sāmya (balance of qualities) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that rites should begin from a state of proper balance and suitability—so the procedure is effective and correctly aligned with dharma, without confusion.

How does this verse guide the correct performance of death-related rites?

It indicates that one should start by clarifying preliminaries (like appropriate food and related preparations) before detailing the rest of the ritual steps.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin any sacred duty—especially ancestral or funeral observances—with orderly preparation, purity, and disciplined basics (diet, conduct, and sequence), rather than rushing to advanced steps.