Shloka 38

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

गायत्रीवद्भारत्या देवदेव ज्ञातव्यमेवं हरितत्त्ववेदिभिः / ममाज्ञानं दृश्यते यत्र कुत्र दैत्यादीनां मोहनार्थ सदैव

Transliteration

gāyatrīvadbhāratyā devadeva jñātavyamevaṃ haritattvavedibhiḥ / mamājñānaṃ dṛśyate yatra kutra daityādīnāṃ mohanārtha sadaiva

Translation

हे देवाधिदेवा! जसे गायत्री व भारती (सरस्वती) यांच्या द्वारा ज्ञान होते, तसेच हरितत्त्व जाणणाऱ्यांनी हा उपदेश जाणावा. माझे अज्ञान कुठे दिसले तरी ते दैत्यादींना मोहविण्यासाठीच सदैव आहे.

Word by Word

• गायत्री-वत्: like Gāyatrī
• गायत्री-वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (उपमान-अव्यय) meaning 'like'

• भारत्या: by/through Bhāratī (Sarasvatī/speech)
• भारत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• देवदेव: O God of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• ज्ञातव्यम्: should be known
• ज्ञातव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/necessitative (तव्यत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); विधेय—'it should be known'

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• हरि-तत्त्व-वेदिभिः: by the knowers of Hari's reality
• हरि-तत्त्व-वेदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• अज्ञानम्: ignorance
• अज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• कुत्र: anywhere/wherever
• कुत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/indefinite adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• दैत्य-आदीनाम्: of demons and others
• दैत्य-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मोहन-अर्थम्: for deluding (them)
• मोहन-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मोहन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva used adverbially; accusative-form meaning 'for the sake of'

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True knowers of Hari discern that apparent ignorance can be a deliberate veil (mohana) employed for cosmic purposes; real knowledge is aligned with mantra and Vāk.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā/āvaraṇa and līlā: the appearance of ajñāna can be functional without negating underlying jñāna; discernment (viveka) is required of Hari-tattva-vedins.

Application: Cultivate humility in speech, avoid premature display of realization, and maintain discernment: do not mistake pedagogical concealment or strategic silence for genuine ignorance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.39-42 (continuation on śrāddha-as-if-ignorant, śravaṇa, aparokṣa-jñāna)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• Gāyatrī
• Daityas
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Gāyatrī and Bhāratī in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse points to recognized sources of right knowledge—Gāyatrī (mantric illumination) and Bhāratī/Sarasvatī (speech and wisdom)—to validate how Hari-tattva should be understood by qualified seekers.

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

Indirectly, it sets an epistemic rule: accurate understanding of Hari’s truth is essential for correct guidance; confusion or ‘ignorance’ is framed as a divine strategy used only to mislead hostile beings like Daityas, not sincere aspirants.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seek clarity through disciplined study, mantra, and ethical speech; avoid mistaking apparent contradictions for truth, and rely on steady, sattvic sources of knowledge when making dharmic decisions.