Shloka 21

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

पुर्यष्टकं परित्यज्य प्रकृतिञ्च गुणात्मिकाम् / यदा याति तदा जीवो याति मुक्तिं न संशयः

Transliteration

puryaṣṭakaṃ parityajya prakṛtiñca guṇātmikām / yadā yāti tadā jīvo yāti muktiṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Apabila jīva meninggalkan “kota-delapan” dan melampaui Prakṛti yang tersusun daripada tiga guṇa, maka jīva mencapai mokṣa—tiada keraguan padanya.

Word by Word

• पुर्यष्टकम्: the puryaṣṭaka (eightfold inner complex)
• पुर्यष्टकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘पुर्याः अष्टकम्’)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु) → त्यक्त्वा/ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having abandoned’

• प्रकृतिम्: Prakṛti
• प्रकृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• गुणात्मिकाम्: consisting of the guṇas
• गुणात्मिकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) → आत्मिक (तद्धित/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘गुणाः आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्याः सा’ = consisting of guṇas)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: when)

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb: then)

• जीवः: the individual soul
• जीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Liberation is attained when the jīva abandons identification with the pury-aṣṭaka and transcends guṇa-constituted prakṛti.

Vedantic Theme: Kaivalya/mukti through dis-identification from upādhis; the Self as distinct from prakṛti and its evolutes.

Application: Practice sustained viveka and vairāgya: notice guṇa-driven reactions, reduce identification with mind-body, and stabilize in witnessing awareness; support with yoga (next verse).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.22 (six yoga means); Garuda Purana 1.235.19-20 (structure of pury-aṣṭaka; prakṛti as karnikā)

Characters & Entities

• Jiva
• Prakriti
• Gunas

FAQs

What is the importance of puryāṣṭaka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses puryāṣṭaka to indicate the subtle psycho-physical apparatus that carries bondage; liberation is described as the jīva’s release from that complex.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It states that the soul reaches mokṣa when it departs from identification with the subtle body and transcends Prakṛti’s three guṇas—pointing to inner detachment rather than mere physical death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice reducing guṇa-driven compulsions (rajas/tamas), cultivate clarity (sattva), and deepen discrimination between the Self and changing mind-body states to move toward freedom.