Shloka 96

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

त्रिरिकस्तु समो ज्ञेयस्तत्समः पौरुकस्मृतः / वेतः स एव विज्ञेयः पूर्वजन्मनि सत्तम

Transliteration

tririkastu samo jñeyastatsamaḥ paurukasmṛtaḥ / vetaḥ sa eva vijñeyaḥ pūrvajanmani sattama

Translation

‘ତ୍ରିରିକ’ ସମାନ ବୋଲି ଜାଣ; ତାହା ସମାନ ‘ପୌରୁକ’ ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ସେଇ ଜଣ ‘ବେତ’ ବୋଲି ମଧ୍ୟ ବିଜ୍ଞେୟ—ଯିଏ ପୂର୍ବଜନ୍ମରେ ‘ସତ୍ତମ’ ଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• त्रिरिकः: Tririka (name)
• त्रिरिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• समः: equal
• समः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ज्ञेयः: should be known (as)
• ज्ञेयः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/‘to be known’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्-समः: equal to him/that one
• तत्-समः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘तस्य समः’

• पौरुकः: Pauruka (name)
• पौरुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is said/called
• स्मृतः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘called/remembered’

• वेतः: Veta (name)
• वेतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विज्ञेयः: should be recognized (as)
• विज्ञेयः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पूर्व-जन्मनि: in a former birth
• पूर्व-जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• सत्तम: O best of beings
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Continuity across births and the paradox of identity: the same being may be known by different names and may carry latent virtue from prior lives.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra and karma-vāsanā persist across embodiments; nāma-rūpa shift while the causal continuity remains.

Application: Treat present character as malleable: cultivate good saṃskāras through repetition (japa, study, service), trusting that virtue can re-emerge and stabilize.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana teachings on rebirth, saṃskāra, and continuity of karma (conceptual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Tririka
• Pauruka
• Veta

FAQs

What is the importance of past-life identity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights continuity across births: a being may be known by different names, yet is recognized by the karmic-spiritual status carried from a former life.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By stating that the same individual is known as different figures and is ‘best among the good’ from a prior birth, it implies that merit and spiritual standing persist and shape one’s post-death recognition and trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma and punya consistently—your character and merit outlast a single lifetime and influence how you are ‘known’ by the results of karma.