Shloka 32

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिस्तुरीयं परमं पदम् / देहेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिप्राणाहङ्कारवर्जितम्

Transliteration

ahaṃ brahma paraṃ jyotisturīyaṃ paramaṃ padam / dehendriyamanobuddhiprāṇāhaṅkāravarjitam

Translation

ഞാൻ ബ്രഹ്മം—പരമ ജ്യോതി, തുരീയാവസ്ഥ, പരമ പദം; ദേഹം, ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ, മനസ്, ബുദ്ധി, പ്രാണൻ, അഹങ്കാരം എന്നിവയിൽ നിന്നു വിമുക്തം.

Word by Word

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

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) (समानााधिकरणम्)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); विशेषणम्

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• तुरीयम्: the fourth (transcendent state)
• तुरीयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुरीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); विशेषणम् (ब्रह्म/ज्योतिः)

• परमम्: highest
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); विशेषणम् (पदम्)

• पदम्: state, abode
• पदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) (समानााधिकरणम्)

• देह: body
• देह: Samasa-member (compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); समासपूर्वपदम्

• इन्द्रिय: sense-organ
• इन्द्रिय: Samasa-member (compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); समासपूर्वपदम्

• मनस्: mind
• मनस्: Samasa-member (compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); समासपूर्वपदम्

• बुद्धि: intellect
• बुद्धि: Samasa-member (compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); समासपूर्वपदम्

• प्राण: life-breath
• प्राण: Samasa-member (compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); समासपूर्वपदम्

• अहङ्कार: ego-sense
• अहङ्कार: Samasa-member (compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); समासपूर्वपदम्

• वर्जितम्: devoid of, free from
• वर्जितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); विशेषणम् (पदम्/ब्रह्म)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Turiya as the supreme state: the Self beyond body, senses, mind, intellect, prāṇa, and ahaṅkāra.

Vedantic Theme: Avasthā-traya-viveka leading to turiya; neti-neti negation of the pañca-kośa/upādhis.

Application: Practice avasthā-traya inquiry (waking/dream/deep sleep) and rest as the witness; during meditation, explicitly negate each layer named in the verse.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.226.31 (beyond prāṇa); Garuda Purana 1.226.33 (non-dual bliss, knowledge-nature)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Turiya

FAQs

What is the importance of the turiya state in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies turiya as the supreme goal—pure Brahman—beyond the three ordinary states of experience, indicating liberation as transcendence of mental and bodily identification.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It points to the soul’s highest resolution as realizing Brahman, where identity is no longer tied to the body, senses, mind, prana, or ego—implying freedom from rebirth and post-death conditioning.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice self-inquiry and detachment: observe body, senses, thoughts, and ego as objects of awareness, cultivating a steadier identification with the witnessing consciousness.