Shloka 6

Ajāna Lineages, Divine Classes, Ṛṣi Catalogues, and the Merit of Śravaṇa-Smaraṇa

Devanagari script

अज्ञानजास्तु मे देवाः कर्मजेभ्यः शतावराः / घृताची मेनका रंभा उर्वशी च तिलोत्तमा

Transliteration

ajñānajāstu me devāḥ karmajebhyaḥ śatāvarāḥ / ghṛtācī menakā raṃbhā urvaśī ca tilottamā

Translation

എന്നാൽ എന്റെ അജ്ഞാനത്തിൽ നിന്നു ഉദ്ഭവിച്ച ദേവഗണം കർമജന്മികളേക്കാൾ ശതഗുണം അധികം—ഘൃതാചി, മേനക, രംഭ, ഉർവശി, തിലോത്തമ തുടങ്ങിയവർ।

Word by Word

• अज्ञानजाः: born of ignorance
• अज्ञानजाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—अज्ञानात् जाताः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषः)

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

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवाः: gods/deities
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कर्मजेभ्यः: than/from those born of action
• कर्मजेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मणः जाताः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषः)

• शतावराः: a hundred times inferior
• शतावराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + अवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—शतेन अवराः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः) / ‘inferior by a hundred’

• घृताची: Ghṛtācī
• घृताची: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृताची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (नाम)

• मेनका: Menakā
• मेनका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेनका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (नाम)

• रंभा: Rambhā
• रंभा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रंभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (नाम)

• उर्वशी: Urvaśī
• उर्वशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (नाम)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तिलोत्तमा: Tilottamā
• तिलोत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + उत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तिलवत् उत्तमा/तिलेषु उत्तमा इति (कर्मधारय-नाम)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contrast between karma-ja (action-born/merit-conditioned) and ajñāna-ja (ignorance-conditioned) manifestations; proliferation of forms under avidyā.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as the condition for multiplicity (nāma-rūpa-vistāra) versus knowledge as the principle of restraint/clarity.

Application: Treat glamour and celestial pleasure as potentially avidyā-fueling; practice discernment (viveka) when confronted with alluring distractions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana lists of apsarases and celestial attendants in cosmological sections

Characters & Entities

• Ghṛtācī
• Menakā
• Rambhā
• Urvaśī
• Tilottamā
• Devas
• Apsarases

FAQs

What is the importance of ignorance (ajñāna) in this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse frames ajñāna as a prolific source of multiplicity—many celestial categories and allurements are said to arise from ignorance, contrasted with beings produced by disciplined karma.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

By highlighting ignorance and its products (including seductive celestial figures like apsarases), the verse supports the broader theme that attachment and delusion obstruct discernment, which is crucial for liberation beyond post-death realms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate clarity and restraint: reduce choices driven by delusion or sensory fascination, and prioritize karma guided by dharma—actions that refine the mind rather than multiply distractions.