Shloka 79

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

शतवर्षानन्तरं च सर्वेषां कलिना सह / वायोर्गदाप्रहारेण लिङ्गभङ्गो भविष्यति

Transliteration

śatavarṣānantaraṃ ca sarveṣāṃ kalinā saha / vāyorgadāprahāreṇa liṅgabhaṅgo bhaviṣyati

Translation

നൂറു വർഷങ്ങൾക്കു ശേഷം, എല്ലാ ജീവികളിലും—കലിയുടെ സ്വാധീനത്തോടുകൂടെ—വായുവിന്റെ ഗദാപ്രഹാരത്താൽ ലിംഗം (സൂക്ഷ്മദേഹചിഹ്നം) ഭംഗപ്പെടും.

Word by Word

• शत-वर्ष-अनन्तरम्: after a hundred years
• शत-वर्ष-अनन्तरम्: Kaala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; कालवाचक अव्यय—‘after a hundred years’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध—‘of all’

• कलिना: with Kali
• कलिना: Sahakaraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सहकारि/सह (with Kali)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (with)

• वायोः: of Vāyu
• वायोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध—‘of Vāyu’

• गदा-प्रहारेण: by a mace-blow
• गदा-प्रहारेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठीभाव—‘by the blow of a mace’

• लिङ्ग-भङ्गः: the breaking of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-भङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय—‘breaking of the liṅga’

• भविष्यति: will occur
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future/लृट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time (śata-varṣa) and Kali’s influence culminate in a forceful transformation—liṅga-bhaṅga—driven by Vāyu’s punitive agency.

Vedantic Theme: Impermanence of upādhis (subtle adjuncts) and the jīva’s passage through changing subtle states under karma and kāla.

Application: Do not rely on worldly identity-marks; cultivate sattva and devotion to transcend Kali’s corrosive pull; practice steady dharma to avoid harsh transitions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: transitional punitive space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: liṅga-śarīra discussions and timed phases of preta existence; Garuda Purana: Kali as corrupting force in post-mortem and worldly delusion contexts

Characters & Entities

• Kali
• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of liṅga (liṅga-śarīra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights liṅga as the subtle vehicle tied to embodied experience; its “breaking” signifies a decisive severance of subtle continuity under a cosmic/elemental force (here attributed to Vāyu).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By pointing to liṅga-bhaṅga, it indicates a stage where the subtle body itself is disrupted, implying an end or major transition in the soul’s post-mortem movement that is otherwise carried via the liṅga-śarīra.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and restraint amid Kali’s influence, remembering that even subtle supports are impermanent—so prioritize ethical conduct, mantra, and devotion over mere worldly identity.