Shloka 55

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

त्रेतायुगस्वरूपे च यादृक् चादर्शयत्प्रभो / द्वापरस्थे स्वरूपे तत्तद्दर्शयति तादृशम् / त्रेतायुगस्वरूपे च यादृक् चादर्शयत्प्रभो

Transliteration

tretāyugasvarūpe ca yādṛk cādarśayatprabho / dvāparasthe svarūpe tattaddarśayati tādṛśam / tretāyugasvarūpe ca yādṛk cādarśayatprabho

Translation

हे प्रभो! त्रेतायुगाच्या स्वरूपात आपण जे जसे प्रकट केले, तसेच द्वापरयुगात प्रकट झालेल्या स्वरूपातही आपण तेच तस्सेच दर्शविता.

Word by Word

• त्रेतायुगस्वरूपे: in the Tretā-yuga form
• त्रेतायुगस्वरूपे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tretāyuga (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• यादृक्: of what kind/as (such as)
• यादृक्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yādṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-विशेषण (correlative: 'of what kind/as')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (connector)

• अदर्शयत्: showed/manifested
• अदर्शयत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: darś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• द्वापरस्थे: in (that) situated in Dvāpara (yuga)
• द्वापरस्थे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvāpara (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('द्वापरे स्थितः'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्वरूपे)

• स्वरूपे: in (that) form
• स्वरूपे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• तत्-तत्: each respective (thing)
• तत्-तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (distributive: 'each and every/that-that')

• दर्शयति: shows/manifests
• दर्शयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: darś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तादृशम्: such (as that)
• तादृशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• त्रेतायुगस्वरूपे: in the Tretā-yuga form
• त्रेतायुगस्वरूपे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tretāyuga (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (repeated pāda)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• यादृक्: of what kind/as
• यादृक्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yādṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (repeated pāda)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (connector)

• अदर्शयत्: showed
• अदर्शयत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: darś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (repeated pāda)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (repeated pāda)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correspondence of revealed forms across yugas: what is shown in Treta is mirrored appropriately in Dvapara.

Vedantic Theme: Lila and pedagogical revelation: the same truth adapts its form to time and audience while maintaining inner continuity.

Application: Seek the invariant principle behind changing presentations; compare traditions across eras for the shared core rather than surface differences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.56 (Dvapara→Kali correspondence); Garuda Purana 3.12.54 (Treta display differs from root)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Treta Yuga
• Dvapara Yuga

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu’s changing forms across Yugas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that the Lord’s manifestation is age-appropriate: He reveals a form and mode of appearance suited to the dharma and spiritual needs of each Yuga.

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

Indirectly, it grounds the soul’s guidance in divine adaptability: the same Supreme Lord provides appropriate revelation in each era, supporting dharma that ultimately purifies karma and aids liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow dharma in a way suited to your time and capacity—seek the Lord through the teachings and disciplines accessible now, without insisting that spiritual practice must look identical across all ages.