Shloka 12

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

एकीभावं प्राप्नुवन्ति मूलेन प्रलये द्विज / बिंबेन तु स्वयं विष्णुरेकीभावं व्रजेद्यदि

Transliteration

ekībhāvaṃ prāpnuvanti mūlena pralaye dvija / biṃbena tu svayaṃ viṣṇurekībhāvaṃ vrajedyadi

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജാ! പ്രളയകാലത്ത് ജീവികൾ മൂലകാരണമിലേക്കു മടങ്ങി ഏകീഭാവം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു; എന്നാൽ സ്വയം വിഷ്ണുവും തന്റെ സ്വപ്രകാശ ബിംബരൂപത്താൽ ഏകീഭാവത്തിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിച്ചാൽ, അതുതന്നെ പ്രളയത്തിന്റെ പരമാവസാനം ആകും।

Word by Word

• ekībhāvam: oneness, unity
• ekībhāvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekībhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāpnuvanti: attain
• prāpnuvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mūlena: by/through the root (source)
• mūlena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pralaye: in pralaya
• pralaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• dvija: O twice-born
• dvija: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• biṃbena: by the original (prototype)
• biṃbena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: biṃba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but
• tu: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Karta-prayojaka (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), reflexive adverb

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekībhāvam: oneness
• ekībhāvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekībhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vrajet: would go/attain
• vrajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Hetu/Śarta (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तबोधक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At dissolution, beings attain oneness by returning to the root-cause; the notion of even the Lord’s manifest form entering oneness underscores the total reabsorption of manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Causal reversion (kāraṇa-pravilaya) and the distinction between the Lord’s essential reality and His manifest ‘bimba’/appearance; dissolution as withdrawal of names-and-forms.

Application: Meditate on the ‘return to root’ to reduce clinging to transient identities; practice inward withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and remembrance of the causal ground (Viṣṇu as support).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.2.11 (souls returning to Hari at pralaya); Garuda Purana 3.2.13 (jīva not a mere reflection; dependence)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the importance of ekībhāva (oneness) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames ekībhāva as the end-state of pralaya, where all beings resolve back into the root-source, indicating ultimate dissolution and a metaphysical return to the causal principle.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing return to the ‘mūla’ (root), it points to the soul’s final resolution beyond differentiated experience—contrasting worldly multiplicity with the ultimate merging at dissolution.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with detachment and dharmic discipline, remembering that all forms are transient and that spiritual practice aims at realizing the underlying source rather than clinging to temporary identities.