Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

सत्त्वेन लोकान्वर्धयितुं विष्णुः साक्षाद्धरिः स्वयम् / सृष्टिं कर्तुं च रजसा ब्रह्मणि प्राविशद्धरिः

Transliteration

sattvena lokānvardhayituṃ viṣṇuḥ sākṣāddhariḥ svayam / sṛṣṭiṃ kartuṃ ca rajasā brahmaṇi prāviśaddhariḥ

Translation

സത്ത്വഗുണത്താൽ ലോകങ്ങളെ പോഷിപ്പിച്ച് വർദ്ധിപ്പിക്കാൻ വിഷ്ണു—സാക്ഷാൽ ഹരി സ്വയം—പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു; രജോഗുണത്താൽ സൃഷ്ടി നടത്താൻ ഹരി ബ്രഹ്മാവിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• सत्त्वेन: by/with sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• लोकान्: worlds/beings
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• वर्धयितुम्: to increase, to nourish
• वर्धयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपद-धातु; क्रियार्थक-उद्देश्य (purpose)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: directly, manifestly)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (स्वकर्तृ-निदर्शन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do, to make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक-उद्देश्य

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• रजसा: by/with rajas (activity)
• रजसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणि: in Brahma
• ब्रह्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्राविशत्: entered
• प्राविशत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari is the direct sustainer through sattva (as Viṣṇu) and the inner power enabling creation through rajas by entering Brahmā.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin doctrine: the Lord as indwelling controller empowering secondary agents; unity of efficient cause with delegated cosmic roles.

Application: See sustaining intelligence in daily order and nourishment; practice devotion to Hari as the inner guide; reduce ego by recognizing all capacity as ‘entered’ grace.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana bhakti passages praising Hari as sustainer; cosmology sections on guṇa-based functions of trimūrti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the importance of the three guṇas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames cosmic functions through guṇas: sattva supports and nourishes the worlds, while rajas drives the act of creation—showing how divine activity operates through nature’s qualities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it sets the metaphysical basis: the soul’s experiences unfold within a cosmos governed by guṇas, where preservation (sattva) and activity/creation (rajas) shape embodied existence and its cycles.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva—clarity, restraint, and devotion—to support inner stability; recognize rajas as necessary for action, but regulate it with discipline so activity serves dharma rather than restlessness.