Shloka 28

Varṇāśrama Dharma, Ethical Virtues, and Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga Culminating in ‘Ahaṃ Brahma’

Devanagari script

यतीनां यतचित्तानां न्यासिनामूर्ध्वरेतसाम् / आनन्दं ब्रह्म तत्स्थानं यस्मान्नावर्तते मुनिः

Transliteration

yatīnāṃ yatacittānāṃ nyāsināmūrdhvaretasām / ānandaṃ brahma tatsthānaṃ yasmānnāvartate muniḥ

Translation

संयतचित्त यती—ऊर्ध्वरेता संन्यासी—यांचे ध्येय आनंदस्वरूप ब्रह्म आहे; ते स्थान प्राप्त झाल्यावर मुनि पुन्हा परत येत नाही।

Word by Word

• यतीनाम्: of ascetics (yatīs)
• यतीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• यतचित्तानाम्: of those with restrained minds
• यतचित्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत-चित्त (प्रातिपदिक; यत (ppp of यम्) + चित्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; adjective of यतीनाम्

• न्यासिनाम्: of renunciants (nyāsins)
• न्यासिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• ऊर्ध्वरेतसाम्: of the continent/celibate
• ऊर्ध्वरेतसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व-रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; adjective of यतीनाम्/न्यासिनाम्

• आनन्दम्: bliss
• आनन्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; predicate nominative/apposition with ब्रह्म

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; in apposition

• तत्स्थानम्: that abode/place
• तत्स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्-स्थान (प्रातिपदिक; तद् + स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘that abode’

• यस्मात्: from which
• यस्मात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ablative relative ‘from which’

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• आवर्तते: returns/revolves back
• आवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yati/nyāsin with restrained mind attains Brahman (ānanda); reaching that state ends return to saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Brahma-sākṣātkāra and apunarāvṛtti (non-return) as mokṣa; mind-restraint and renunciation as proximate means.

Application: Practice vairāgya, mental discipline (yama-niyama, dhyāna), and self-inquiry; simplify life to support steady contemplation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: metaphysical-abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana moksha-oriented passages in 1.49 (yati, yoga, apunarāvṛtti)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Muni
• Yati
• Sannyasi

FAQs

What is the importance of renunciation (nyāsa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents renunciation and mastery of the mind as direct qualifications for reaching Brahman—an irreversible attainment described as non-return to rebirth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It distinguishes a liberating path: disciplined ascetics who realize Brahman attain a final state of bliss from which the soul does not cycle back into worldly existence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate self-restraint, mental discipline, and ethical purity; even for householders, steady control of desire and meditation-oriented living supports liberation-oriented values.