Shloka 88

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

तस्मादष्ट गुणैरुच्यो हरिण्यकशिषुः स्मृतः / तस्माच्च त्रिगुणैर्हीनो हिरण्याक्षो महासुरः

Transliteration

tasmādaṣṭa guṇairucyo hariṇyakaśiṣuḥ smṛtaḥ / tasmācca triguṇairhīno hiraṇyākṣo mahāsuraḥ

Translation

Portanto, o filho de Hiraṇyakaśipu é lembrado como superior por oito qualidades; e Hiraṇyākṣa, esse grande Asura, é inferior a ele por três qualidades.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that (therefore)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• अष्ट-गुणैः: by eight qualities (eightfold)
• अष्ट-गुणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: अष्टगुण; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• उच्यः: is to be called/said
• उच्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + य (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/य-प्रत्यय, passive-necessitative sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उच्यते/कथ्यते’ इत्यर्थे

• हरिण्यक-शिशुः: the child of Hariṇyaka (Hiraṇyakaśipu)
• हरिण्यक-शिशुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिण्यक (प्रातिपदिक) + शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): हरिण्यकस्य शिशुः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is said/remembered
• स्मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from that (therefore)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• त्रि-गुणैः: by three qualities (threefold)
• त्रि-गुणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: त्रिगुण; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हीनः: deficient/less
• हीनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हिरण्याक्षः: Hiraṇyākṣa
• हिरण्याक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: हिरण्ये अक्षिणी यस्य (golden-eyed); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महा-असुरः: the great demon
• महा-असुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: महान् असुरः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gradation of beings by guṇa/qualities and resultant superiority or inferiority.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-bheda and the relative status of embodied beings within saṃsāra; excellence is still within prakṛti.

Application: Cultivate sattvic qualities and discern that worldly power is graded and impermanent; avoid envy and pride by seeing all as guṇa-bound.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12 (asura/daitya gradation sequence continuing in 3.12.89–92)

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Hiraṇyākṣa

FAQs

What is the importance of guṇas (qualities) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that beings are evaluated by their guṇas—measurable moral/spiritual qualities—showing that status is determined by conduct and virtues rather than mere power or lineage.

How does this verse explain spiritual hierarchy or merit?

It presents a comparative scale: one figure is deemed superior due to possessing more virtues, while another is explicitly described as lacking certain qualities, implying merit-based hierarchy.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate identifiable virtues (self-control, truthfulness, compassion, devotion, etc.) and reduce harmful traits; progress is assessed by qualities embodied, not by reputation or external success.