Shloka 155

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

शरिरमापः सोमं च विविधं चान्नमुच्यते / प्राणो ह्यग्निस्तथादित्यस्त्रिभोक्ता एक एव तु

Transliteration

śariramāpaḥ somaṃ ca vividhaṃ cānnamucyate / prāṇo hyagnistathādityastribhoktā eka eva tu

Translation

ശരീരം ജലം, സോമം, വിവിധ അന്നങ്ങൾ എന്നിങ്ങനെ പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. എന്നാൽ പ്രാണൻ തന്നെയാണ് അഗ്നിയും ആദിത്യനും; ഏക തത്ത്വം തന്നെ ത്രിവിധ ഭോക്താവായി ഭാസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रयोगः), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सोमम्: Soma
• सोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विविधम्: various
• विविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अन्नम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• प्राणः: breath/life-force
• प्राणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Emphasis/Reason (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपातः (particle: indeed/for)

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• आदित्यः: the Sun
• आदित्यः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिभोक्ता: the threefold enjoyer/consumer
• त्रिभोक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु/उपपद-समासः (त्रीणि भुङ्क्ते/भोगान् इति)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying त्रिभोक्ता)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तु: but/however
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (contrastive particle)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One tattva manifests as tri-bhoktṛ (threefold enjoyer) through prāṇa functioning as fire and sun within embodied experience.

Vedantic Theme: Ekatva (oneness) underlying apparent plurality; prāṇa as a bridge between gross body and subtle principle.

Application: Meditate on prāṇa as the unifying power behind digestion, vitality, and awareness; reduce identification with fragmented appetites by seeing a single life-principle at work.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: adhyātma-cosmos

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.153-154: inner fires mapping and āhitāgni concept; Garuda Purana 1.213.156: food transforming into strength and well-being

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Aditya
• Soma
• Prana

FAQs

What is the importance of prāṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse equates prāṇa with Agni and Āditya, showing prāṇa as the sustaining power behind digestion, vitality, and perception—central to how embodied experience functions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By distinguishing the perishable body (formed from elemental supports like water/food/Soma) from the animating prāṇa and the one underlying experiencer, it frames death as separation of bodily constituents while the principle of experience continues beyond gross matter.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat food, hydration, and disciplined living as sacred supports of prāṇa, and cultivate self-inquiry: behind changing bodily states, recognize the one awareness that ‘enjoys’ experience in different modes.