Shloka 3
Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa
On the Causes/Means of Knowledge
यथास्ति विष्णोर्मनः सङ्कल्प एव तथैव सोपि प्रकरोति नित्यम् / आलोचने तस्य सदास्ति भूमन्स्वयोग्यतामनतिक्रम्य चैव
yathāsti viṣṇormanaḥ saṅkalpa eva tathaiva sopi prakaroti nityam / ālocane tasya sadāsti bhūmansvayogyatāmanatikramya caiva
Sebagaimana pada Tuhan Viṣṇu, minda itu sendiri adalah niat suci (saṅkalpa), demikian juga Baginda senantiasa menjadikan segala sesuatu terlaksana. Wahai Yang Maha Luas, dalam pertimbangan-Nya ada hukum yang tetap: Dia tidak pernah melampaui apa yang sesuai dengan kemampuan dan ukuran yang wajar bagi setiap makhluk.
Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Saṅkalpa-śakti of Bhagavān: creation/maintenance proceeds from pure intention without violating each jīva’s capacity (adhikāra).
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as nimitta-upādāna (intelligent cause; world-order) while jīva’s limited standpoint conditions what is received/manifested.
Application: Cultivate humility about one’s scope; pursue sādhana appropriate to one’s stage; trust that outcomes unfold within dharmic proportion rather than arbitrary favoritism.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (dialogue portions on Viṣṇu’s supremacy and the limits of jīva/ṛṣi knowledge; adjacent verses 3.12.4-7)
FAQs
This verse presents Viṣṇu’s will as inherently effective—his intention itself accomplishes—yet it operates within dharma, ensuring outcomes align with each being’s rightful capacity and karmic fitness.
It implies that even when divine governance shapes events, it does not override svayogyatā; the soul’s experiences (including post-death states) unfold in accordance with what is deserved and appropriate under karmic law.
Cultivate disciplined intention and ethical action: aim firmly, but act within what is right and appropriate—respecting limits, duties, and the consequences that follow one’s choices.