Shloka 24
Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa
On the Causes/Means of Knowledge
गोविन्द नित्याव्यय चित्सुपूर्ण तव प्रसादान्नास्ति शतेषु तन्ममयेये हि देवाश्च शरीरधारिणस्ते ज्ञानहीना विषयेषु निष्ठाः
govinda nityāvyaya citsupūrṇa tava prasādānnāsti śateṣu tanmamayeye hi devāśca śarīradhāriṇaste jñānahīnā viṣayeṣu niṣṭhāḥ
ឱ គោវិន្ទ—អស់កល្បជានិច្ច មិនរលាយ និងពេញលេញជាចិត្តដឹងបរិសុទ្ធ—គ្មានព្រះគុណរបស់ព្រះអង្គ ទោះក្នុងចំណោមរាប់រយ ការយល់ដឹងនោះក៏មិនកើតឡើងក្នុងខ្ញុំឡើយ។ ព្រោះសត្វមានរាងកាយទាំងអស់ សូម្បីទេវតា ក៏ជាញឹកញាប់ខ្វះប្រាជ្ញាពិត ហើយនៅជាប់ចិត្តក្នុងវត្ថុអារម្មណ៍។
Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Govinda)
Concept: Realization is rare and depends on Govinda’s prasada; embodiment—even in divine/celestial forms—can coincide with ajnana and fixation on vishayas.
Vedantic Theme: Avidya as the root of outward-turned consciousness; anugraha as the catalyst for aparoksha-jnana; samsara persists across lokas when identification with body and objects remains.
Application: Treat spiritual insight as grace-supported: intensify sadhana (japa, satsanga, svadhyaya) while reducing sense-indulgence; do not romanticize status (even ‘deva-like’ success) as proof of wisdom.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): teachings that even high births/lokas do not guarantee moksha without Vishnu-bhakti and jnana; Garuda Purana (general): critiques of vishaya-asakti as bondage
FAQs
This verse states that true realization is not attained merely by status or effort; it arises through Govinda’s prasāda (grace), which awakens genuine knowledge and detachment.
It emphasizes that embodiment itself can sustain attachment: even devas, as body-bearing beings, may lack liberating knowledge and stay fixed in sense-enjoyments (viṣayas).
Cultivate devotion and humility, seek inner knowledge, and consciously reduce dependence on sense-pleasures—treating spiritual progress as grace-supported, not ego-driven.