Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

नाममात्रेण सन्तुष्टाः कर्मकाण्डरता नराः / मन्त्रोच्चारणहोमाद्यैर्भ्रामिताः क्रतुविस्तरैः

Transliteration

nāmamātreṇa santuṣṭāḥ karmakāṇḍaratā narāḥ / mantroccāraṇahomādyairbhrāmitāḥ kratuvistaraiḥ

Translation

കർമ്മകാണ്ഡത്തിൽ ആസക്തരായ മനുഷ്യർ പേരുമാത്രവും ബാഹ്യാചാരങ്ങളും കൊണ്ടു തന്നെ തൃപ്തരാകുന്നു; മന്ത്രോച്ചാരണം, ഹോമം മുതലായവയും യാഗങ്ങളുടെ വിപുലമായ പ്രപഞ്ചവും അവരെ ഭ്രമിപ്പിച്ച് വഴിതെറ്റിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• नाममात्रेण: by mere name only
• नाममात्रेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाममात्र (प्रातिपदिक; नामन् + मात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नाम एव मात्रम्)

• सन्तुष्टाः: satisfied
• सन्तुष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तुष्ट (कृदन्त; सम् + तुष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• कर्मकाण्डरता: attached to ritualistic acts
• कर्मकाण्डरता: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मकाण्डरत (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + काण्ड + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मकाण्डे रताः)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मन्त्रोच्चारणहोमाद्यैः: by mantra-recitation, homa, etc.
• मन्त्रोच्चारणहोमाद्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रोच्चारणहोमादि (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र + उच्चारण + होम + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (मन्त्र-उच्चारण-होम-आदयः)

• भ्रामिताः: deluded, led astray
• भ्रामिताः: Vidhaya (विधेय/predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रामित (कृदन्त; भ्रम् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• क्रतुविस्तरैः: by elaborate sacrifices/ritual expansions
• क्रतुविस्तरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतुविस्तर (प्रातिपदिक; क्रतु + विस्तार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (क्रतोः विस्तारः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mere nomenclature and outward ritual acts (mantra, homa, kratu-vistara) do not yield the intended spiritual end when pursued as ends in themselves.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa is subordinate to knowledge; external action without viveka becomes māyā-driven distraction from Brahma-jñāna/bhakti.

Application: Use ritual as a support (sādhana) rather than identity; prioritize self-inquiry, ethical purification, and devotion over performative religiosity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.61-64 (continuation: critique of austerity-for-show and hypocrisy)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of karmakāṇḍa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse cautions that ritual actions (karmakāṇḍa) become spiritually unhelpful when one clings only to external performance and names, missing inner understanding and dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

In the Preta Kanda context, it implies that after-death welfare is not secured by elaborate rites alone; correct knowledge, intention, and righteous living are essential alongside prescribed rituals.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform rites with sincerity and ethical conduct, but do not reduce spirituality to showy ceremonies; prioritize truthfulness, compassion, and right understanding along with mantra and homa.