Shloka 30

Varṇāśrama Dharma, Ethical Virtues, and Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga Culminating in ‘Ahaṃ Brahma’

Devanagari script

मुक्तिरष्टाङ्गविज्ञानात्संक्षेपात्तद्वदे शृणु / यमाः पञ्च त्वहिंसाद्या अहिंसा प्राण्यहिंसनम्

Transliteration

muktiraṣṭāṅgavijñānātsaṃkṣepāttadvade śṛṇu / yamāḥ pañca tvahiṃsādyā ahiṃsā prāṇyahiṃsanam

Translation

അഷ്ടാംഗമാർഗത്തിന്റെ വിജ്ഞാനത്തിൽ നിന്നാണ് മോക്ഷം; അതിന്റെ സംക്ഷേപം എന്നിൽ നിന്ന് കേൾക്കുക. യമങ്ങൾ അഞ്ചു, ആദ്യത്തേത് അഹിംസ; അഹിംസ എന്നത് ഏതൊരു ജീവിയെയും ഹിംസിക്കാതിരിക്കുക എന്നർത്ഥം.

Word by Word

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अष्टाङ्गविज्ञानात्: from the knowledge of the eight limbs
• अष्टाङ्गविज्ञानात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट-अङ्ग-विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक; अष्ट + अङ्ग + विज्ञान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (विज्ञान), पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ablative ‘from/by means of’

• संक्षेपात्: in brief/briefly
• संक्षेपात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ablative adverbial ‘briefly’

• तद्वत्: accordingly/in that way
• तद्वत्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: तद्वत्-शब्दः अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; manner-adverb (in that manner/accordingly)

• एव: indeed
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय

• शृणु: hear/listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• यमाः: restraints (yamas)
• यमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; here used as numeral adjective qualifying यमाः

• तु: indeed
• तु: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle

• अहिंसाद्याः: beginning with non-violence
• अहिंसाद्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंसा-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; अहिंसा + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; adjective of यमाः (‘beginning with ahiṃsā’)

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; definition term

• प्राण्यहिंसनम्: non-injury to living beings
• प्राण्यहिंसनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणि-अहिंसन (प्रातिपदिक; प्राणि + अहिंसन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; predicative definition of अहिंसा

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aṣṭāṅga-yoga knowledge leads to liberation; the first foundation is yama, especially ahiṃsā defined as non-injury to any being.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana-catuṣṭaya support: ethical purification (yama) as prerequisite for higher realization; karma-yoga/ahiṃsā as mind-purifier enabling jñāna.

Application: Practice non-violence in thought, speech, and action; adopt compassionate lifestyle choices; use yama-niyama as daily checklist supporting meditation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.49 continuation on yama-niyama and aṣṭāṅga components (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Yamas (ethical restraints)

FAQs

What is the importance of the yamas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links liberation (mukti) to the eightfold yogic discipline and begins that discipline with the yamas, establishing ethical restraint—starting with ahiṃsā—as foundational for spiritual progress.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It states that moksha is attained through understanding and practicing the aṣṭāṅga (eight-limbed) path, implying that purification of conduct (yamas like non-violence) supports the soul’s release from bondage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice ahiṃsā as non-harm in thought, speech, and action—reducing cruelty and injury to beings—so that daily life becomes aligned with dharma and supportive of inner freedom.