Shloka 48

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

नीरक्षीरविविकं च हंसो वेत्ति न चापरः / अतः स्वभर्तृसंयोगं कृष्णादेहेन चिन्तयेत् कृष्णादेहेन्यगामित्वं नैव चिन्त्यं खगेश्वर

Transliteration

nīrakṣīravivikaṃ ca haṃso vetti na cāparaḥ / ataḥ svabhartṛsaṃyogaṃ kṛṣṇādehena cintayet kṛṣṇādehenyagāmitvaṃ naiva cintyaṃ khageśvara

Translation

ଜଳ-କ୍ଷୀର ବିଭେଦର ବିବେକ କେବଳ ହଂସ ଜାଣେ, ଅନ୍ୟ କେହି ନୁହେଁ। ତେଣୁ କୃଷ୍ଣଦେହ (ଶ୍ୟାମସ୍ୱରୂପ) ଦ୍ୱାରା ନିଜ ସତ୍ୟ ପ୍ରଭୁ/ଭର୍ତ୍ତା ସହ ସଂଯୋଗକୁ ଚିନ୍ତନ କର; ହେ ଖଗେଶ୍ୱର, କୃଷ୍ଣଦେହ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସେହି ପ୍ରାପ୍ତିକୁ କେବେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସନ୍ଦେହ କରନି।

Word by Word

• नीर-क्षीर-विविकम्: discrimination between water and milk
• नीर-क्षीर-विविकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीर (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + विवेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश-तत्पुरुष (नीरस्य क्षीरस्य च विवेकः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हंसः: the swan
• हंसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपरः: another (person)
• अपरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-स्वभाव (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from that)

• स्व-भर्तृ-संयोगम्: union with one’s own lord
• स्व-भर्तृ-संयोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य भर्तुः संयोगः)

• कृष्ण-देहेन: by/with Krishna’s body
• कृष्ण-देहेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृष्णस्य देहः)

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• कृष्ण-देहेन: by/with Krishna’s body
• कृष्ण-देहेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• अगामित्वम्: non-going/immobility (state of not going)
• अगामित्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगामित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-प्रत्यय (abstract noun)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic/only)

• चिन्त्यम्: to be thought/considered
• चिन्त्यम्: Vidhaya (विधेय/प्रेडिकेट)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्त्य (कृदन्त; चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थे (gerundive: ‘to be thought’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• खग-ईश्वर: O lord of birds
• खग-ईश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खगानाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Haṁsa-viveka (true discernment) leads to exclusive contemplation of the Lord; do not doubt attainment through Kṛṣṇa (the dark-bodied form).

Vedantic Theme: Viveka culminating in parā-bhakti; steadfast niṣṭhā dissolving saṁśaya (doubt) and duality.

Application: Practice discernment (separating essential from non-essential) and sustain exclusive devotion/meditation on the Lord; counter doubt with steady remembrance and scriptural trust.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17.46 (ananyāgāmitva); Garuda Purana 3.17.47 (limits of embodied knowing; need for viveka)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Kṛṣṇa
• Haṁsa

FAQs

What is the importance of the haṁsa (milk-water) analogy in the Garuda Purana?

It symbolizes viveka—true spiritual discrimination—by which one separates the eternal (the Lord/soul’s goal) from the transient, and focuses the mind on union with the Supreme.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It points to liberation through contemplative remembrance of Kṛṣṇa/Vishnu—suggesting that beyond post-death descriptions and rites, decisive inner orientation toward the Lord is the sure path to the highest attainment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily discernment and devotion: reduce attachment to the temporary, and cultivate steady remembrance/meditation on Vishnu (Kṛṣṇa) as the soul’s true refuge.