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Shloka 38

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

विषं तु चरुदुग्धस्थं विषमित्युच्यते यथा / एवं मयोक्ता गरुड गुणानां निजसंस्थितिः

Transliteration

viṣaṃ tu carudugdhasthaṃ viṣamityucyate yathā / evaṃ mayoktā garuḍa guṇānāṃ nijasaṃsthitiḥ

Translation

പായസത്തിലോ പാലിലോ ഉള്ള വിഷം ‘വിഷം’ എന്നുതന്നെ വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നതുപോലെ, ഹേ ഗരുഡാ! ഗുണങ്ങളുടെ സ്വാഭാവികവും സ്ഥിരവുമായ നില ഞാൻ യഥാർത്ഥമായി പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു।

Word by Word
विषम्poison
विषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/समुच्चय-भेदक; particle ‘but/indeed’
चरु-दुग्ध-स्थम्situated in sacrificial porridge and milk
चरु-दुग्ध-स्थम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootcaru (प्रातिपदिक) + dugdha (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (‘चरुदुग्धे स्थितम्’); nominative/accusative singular neuter
विषम्poison
विषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण-चिह्न/वाक्य-समाप्ति; quotative particle
उच्यतेis called/is said
उच्यते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
यथाjust as
यथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय; adverb ‘as/just as’
एवम्thus
एवम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक अव्यय; adverb ‘thus/in this way’
मयाby me
मया:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental singular ‘by me’
उक्ताsaid/declared
उक्ता:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvac (धातु) + ukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formक्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agrees with ‘संस्थितिः’
गरुडO Garuḍa
गरुड:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootgaruḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; vocative singular
गुणानाम्of the qualities (guṇas)
गुणानाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; genitive plural
निज-संस्थितिःtheir own state/position
निज-संस्थितिः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootnija (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘निजा या संस्थितिः’); nominative singular feminine
Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Intrinsic nature persists despite mixture: as poison remains poison even in milk/rice, so guṇas retain their defining character even when combined.

Vedantic Theme: Svabhāva-lakṣaṇa and guṇa-dharma: discern the essential quality beneath appearances; supports viveka and disidentification from prakṛti.

Application: Do not romanticize harmful tendencies because they appear within ‘good’ contexts; identify and remove the contaminant (rājasic agitation/tāmasic inertia) rather than excusing it.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: use of vivid analogies in doctrinal passages (upamā-prayoga)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda

FAQs

This verse stresses that qualities retain their essential nature; discerning sattva, rajas, and tamas as they truly are supports right judgment and dharmic living.

By the analogy of poison mixed into milk or rice, it teaches that harmful or unwholesome qualities do not become harmless merely by association with something seemingly pure.

Evaluate actions, habits, and influences by their actual effects—avoid ‘mixed’ temptations that look respectable but carry harm, and cultivate genuinely sattvic conduct.

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