Shloka 42

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

जरादर्शितपन्थानं प्रचण्डव्याधिसैनिकम् / अधिष्ठितो मृत्युशत्रुं त्रातारं किं न पश्यति

Transliteration

jarādarśitapanthānaṃ pracaṇḍavyādhisainikam / adhiṣṭhito mṛtyuśatruṃ trātāraṃ kiṃ na paśyati

Translation

ജര വഴിയെ കാണിച്ചു, ഭീകര രോഗങ്ങളുടെ സൈന്യം ചുറ്റിനിൽക്കുമ്പോഴും, നേരിൽ തന്നെയുണ്ടായിട്ടും മനുഷ്യൻ രക്ഷകനായ മരണശത്രുവിനെ (ഭഗവാനെ) എന്തുകൊണ്ട് കാണുന്നില്ല?

Word by Word

• जरादर्शितपन्थानम्: (one) whose path is shown by old age
• जरादर्शितपन्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरया दर्शितः पन्थाः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: जरया दर्शितः)

• प्रचण्डव्याधिसैनिकम्: (one) with a fierce army of diseases
• प्रचण्डव्याधिसैनिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रचण्ड + व्याधि + सैनिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (व्याधि-सैनिकः; प्रचण्ड इति विशेषणम्)

• अधिष्ठितः: having mounted/being seated upon
• अधिष्ठितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्थित/आसीन/आविष्ट’ अर्थे

• मृत्युशत्रुम्: the enemy of Death
• मृत्युशत्रुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः शत्रुः)

• त्रातारम्: the protector/savior
• त्रातारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: why?/what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (particle of negation)

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In the face of jarā (aging) and vyādhi (disease), one should recognize and seek the ‘trātā’—the divine savior who overcomes death.

Vedantic Theme: Turning from deha-abhimāna (body-identification) to śaraṇāgati (surrender); the Lord as amṛtatva-prada (giver of immortality) beyond māyā’s decay.

Application: Use illness/aging as a spiritual alarm: intensify nāma-smaraṇa, prayer, and ethical living; cultivate surrender rather than denial; keep a daily remembrance practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: path/road (metaphorical)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana themes: jarā-vyādhi as signs; refuge in Vishnu as deliverer from fear of death (general internal thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of old age and disease in Garuda Purana teachings?

This verse frames old age and illness as clear signs that death is approaching, urging a person to turn toward the true refuge—Vishnu—rather than remain spiritually negligent.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By calling life’s decline a ‘path’ and diseases an ‘army,’ it stresses that the embodied being is inevitably driven toward death, so remembrance of the Death-conquering Lord becomes the essential preparation for the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat aging and recurring illness as prompts to simplify life, strengthen dharma, and cultivate steady devotion and remembrance of God—so the mind is trained before the final crisis.