Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 33

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

अहिते हितसंज्ञः स्यादध्रुवे ध्रुवसंज्ञकः / अनर्थे चार्थविज्ञानः स्वमर्थं यो न वेत्ति सः

Transliteration

ahite hitasaṃjñaḥ syādadhruve dhruvasaṃjñakaḥ / anarthe cārthavijñānaḥ svamarthaṃ yo na vetti saḥ

Translation

ਜੋ ਅਹਿਤ ਨੂੰ ਹਿਤ ਸਮਝੇ, ਅਧ੍ਰੁਵ ਨੂੰ ਧ੍ਰੁਵ ਆਖੇ, ਅਤੇ ਅਨਰਥ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਰਥ ਵੇਖੇ—ਉਹ ਆਪਣਾ ਅਸਲ ਭਲਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾਣਦਾ।

Word by Word

• अहिते: in what is harmful
• अहिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• हितसंज्ञः: one who labels it as beneficial
• हितसंज्ञः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित-संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘हित’ इति संज्ञा यस्य—विशेषण

• स्यात्: would be/is (as if)
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अध्रुवे: in what is unstable
• अध्रुवे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ध्रुवसंज्ञकः: one who calls it permanent
• ध्रुवसंज्ञकः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव-संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ध्रुव’ इति संज्ञा यस्य

• अनर्थे: in what is worthless/harmful
• अनर्थे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• अर्थविज्ञानः: one who thinks he knows the meaning/value
• अर्थविज्ञानः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ-विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अर्थं विजानाति’ इति—विशेषण

• स्वम्: one's own
• स्वम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘अर्थम्’ इति विशेषण

• अर्थम्: true interest/purpose
• अर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: क्रियानिषेध (Kriyā-niṣedha/क्रियानिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viparyaya: mistaking ahita for hita and anitya for nitya; ignorance of one’s real good (svārtha/paramārtha).

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as adhyāsa (superimposition) and viparīta-jñāna; need for viveka and vairāgya to know paramārtha.

Application: Practice discernment: test ‘benefit’ by long-term consequences; reflect daily on what is truly lasting; seek guidance from śāstra and sādhus to correct cognitive bias.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana moral-psychological critiques of moha and wrong valuation of worldly aims; Garuda Purana counsel on choosing śreyas through dharma and devotion

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of discernment (hita vs ahita) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that confusing harm for benefit is a root error that drives karma and suffering; right discernment protects one’s true welfare (svamartha).

How does this verse connect to the soul’s journey after death in the Preta Kanda?

Preta Kanda repeatedly links suffering after death to ignorance and misjudgment; mistaking impermanent pleasures as permanent leads to actions that bind the soul to painful consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before acting, test whether a choice is truly beneficial long-term (dharma) or merely attractive; remember impermanence to avoid decisions that create future regret and karmic burden.