Shloka 34

Hari in the Primeval Waters: Prakṛti as Veil, the ‘Sleep’ Metaphor, and Brahmā’s Lotus-Channel Inquiry

Devanagari script

प्रीयते मत्वा ब्रह्म तस्मात्सुप्तिश्च तत्र हि / अज्ञादिकं यदि ब्रह्म तस्य न स्यात्कथञ्चन

Transliteration

prīyate matvā brahma tasmātsuptiśca tatra hi / ajñādikaṃ yadi brahma tasya na syātkathañcana

Translation

ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਮੰਨ ਕੇ ਮਨ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ; ਇਸ ਲਈ ਉੱਥੇ (ਉਸ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਵਿੱਚ) ਨੀਂਦ ਵੀ ਮੰਨੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ। ਜੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਅਗਿਆਨ ਆਦਿ ਵਰਗਾ ਹੋਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਕਿਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੀ ਉਸ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਬੰਧਿਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ।

Word by Word

• prīyate: is pleased / becomes pleased
• prīyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive/intransitive sense)

• matvā: having thought/considered
• matvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: man (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action): ‘having thought/considered’

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable) ‘therefore/from that’ (तस्मात्)

• suptiḥ: sleep
• suptiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: supti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tatra: there/in that (state)
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for indeed/for)

• ajña-ādikam: ignorance and the like
• ajña-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajña (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative): ‘ajña-ādi’ = ‘ignorance etc.’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tasya: of it/of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक (contextual)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• syāt: would be / might be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• kathañcana: in any way (at all)
• kathañcana: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb): ‘in any way/at all’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman is pure and cannot possess ajnana; satisfaction/sleep belong to a state of mind that misapprehends, not to Brahman itself.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman is nirguna and asanga; avidya is an upadhi affecting the jiva’s cognition, not the Absolute.

Application: Do not sanctify dullness or unconsciousness as 'spiritual'; cultivate clarity—distinguish peace of understanding from tamasic sleepiness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.11.33 (fear from ignorance); Garuda Purana 3.11.35 (knowledge to liberation)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the importance of deep sleep (supti/suṣupti) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It uses deep sleep as an illustration of a state where the mind rests and contentment is experienced, pointing toward Brahman as the underlying reality beyond mental modifications.

How does this verse clarify Brahman’s nature regarding ignorance (ajñāna)?

It explicitly denies that ignorance (and related limitations) can truly belong to Brahman, emphasizing Brahman’s purity and non-association with defects.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate discernment: treat ignorance and mental states as transient, and regularly return to stillness (through study, contemplation, and meditation) to recognize the changeless Self.