Shloka 40

Ahaṅkāra-Tripartition and the Rise of Indriyas, Devatās, and Cosmic Administrators

Devanagari script

आकाशस्याभिमानी तु गणपः सुदाहृतः / उभयत्राभि मानीति ज्ञेयं तत्त्वार्थवेदिभिः

Transliteration

ākāśasyābhimānī tu gaṇapaḥ sudāhṛtaḥ / ubhayatrābhi mānīti jñeyaṃ tattvārthavedibhiḥ

Translation

ആകാശത്തിന്റെ അഭിമാനിയായ അധിഷ്ഠാതാവിനെ ‘ഗണപ’ എന്നു സുതാര്യമായി പറയുന്നു. തത്ത്വാർത്ഥവേദികൾ അദ്ദേഹം ഉഭയത്ര അഭിമാനിയെന്നു ഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• आकाशस्य: of space/ether
• आकाशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• अभिमानी: the presiding one
• अभिमानी: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhimānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘presiding/identifying (deity)’

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• गणपः: Gaṇapa (name/title)
• गणपः: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुदाहृतः: is well declared
• सुदाहृतः: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + ā + hṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘well stated/declared’

• उभयत्र: in both places; in both ways
• उभयत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/adverbial locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ubhayatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/अवस्थानिर्देशक (locative adverb)

• अभिमानी: ‘Abhimānī’
• अभिमानी: Apposition (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhimānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (quoted form)

• इति: thus; as (so called)
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-निपात (quotative)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be understood
• ज्ञेयम्: Karma (कर्म/object of understanding)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धातु) + ya (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be understood’

• तत्त्वार्थवेदिभिः: by the knowers of true meaning
• तत्त्वार्थवेदिभिः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva + artha + vedin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘by knowers of the meaning of reality’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abhimāni-devatā doctrine: Gaṇapa as the presiding identifier of ākāśa; ‘ubhayatrābhimānī’ indicates governance across paired aspects (e.g., subtle/gross, inner/outer, micro/macro).

Vedantic Theme: Distinguishing the witnessing awareness from functional identifications; understanding layered agency (adhidaiva/adhyātma) without mistaking it for the Self.

Application: Contemplate ‘space’ as both external expanse and inner openness; practice mantra-japa or silent listening (śravaṇa) to refine awareness of śabda in ākāśa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: elemental domain (mahābhūta)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.5.39 (tattva enumeration context); Garuda Purana 3.5.41-43 (other presiders and subordinations)

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇapa
• Ākāśa

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘abhimānī’ (presiding identifier) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that each subtle element has a governing ‘abhimānī’—a principle of identification that links cosmic elements with the embodied experience, helping explain how the subtle body relates to the cosmos.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By mapping space (ākāśa) to its presiding principle (Gaṇapa) and the notion of identification in “both ways,” the text frames the soul’s journey through subtle domains as structured by tattvas and their governing forces.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate awareness of ‘identification’ (abhimāna)—reduce egoic clinging and practice discipline in speech and mind, aligning one’s inner space (ākāśa) with clarity and devotion.