Shloka 16

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

तथापि सा न विजानाति देवी साकल्येनाशेषितः सद्गुणांश्च / यद्यप्यनुक्तं पञ्चभिर्नास्ति वेदैस्तथापि देवे ऽत्र विशेष आस्ते

tathāpi sā na vijānāti devī sākalyenāśeṣitaḥ sadguṇāṃśca / yadyapyanuktaṃ pañcabhirnāsti vedaistathāpi deve 'tra viśeṣa āste

И всё же Деви не постигает во всей полноте неисчерпаемое множество благих качеств Господа. Хотя и пять Вед не оставляют ничего несказанным, в этом Дэве всё равно пребывает особое превосходство, превосходящее всякое полное выражение.

tathāpieven so, nevertheless
tathāpi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā + api (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; particle/concessive (निपात)
she
:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-निपात)
vijānātiknows, understands
vijānāti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√jñā (ज्ञा धातु) + vi-
FormPresent tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन)
devīthe goddess
devī:
Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to sā)
TypeNoun
Rootdevī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative Singular
sākalyenacompletely, in entirety
sākalyena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsākalya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular
aśeṣitaḥnot fully exhausted/left out; not completely encompassed
aśeṣitaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-śeṣita (कृदन्त; √śiṣ/√śeṣ? causative/denom sense)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular; used adjectivally (विशेषण)
sadguṇāngood qualities
sadguṇān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsat + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन); compound = sat-guṇāḥ ‘good qualities’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय-निपात)
yadiif
yadi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadi (अव्यय)
FormConditional particle (शर्त-निपात)
apieven, although
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormConcessive/emphatic particle (निपात)
anuktamunsaid, unspoken
anuktam:
Karma (कर्म) (as ‘unsaid’ content)
TypeAdjective
Rootan-ukta (कृदन्त; √vac/√uk ‘to say’ क्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त) with negation; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; used predicatively
pañcabhiḥby five
pañcabhiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpañcan (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Form(Numeral) Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural; used with implied ‘vedaiḥ’/‘vedaiḥ pañcabhiḥ’
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
astiis, exists
asti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (अस् धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Singular
vedaiḥby the Vedas
vedaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootveda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental Plural
tathāpinevertheless
tathāpi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā + api (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; concessive particle
devein the Lord
deve:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (सप्तमी) Singular
atrahere, in this matter
atra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatra (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)
viśeṣaḥa distinction, special point
viśeṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता) (of āste)
TypeNoun
Rootviśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative Singular
āsteremains, exists
āste:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ās (आस् धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person Singular

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Concept: The Lord’s auspicious qualities are inexhaustible; even complete śāstra articulation cannot exhaust His excellence—transcendence beyond expression.

Vedantic Theme: Ananta-kalyāṇa-guṇa and acintya-śakti; śabda-pramāṇa is authoritative yet the object (Brahman/Īśvara) exceeds verbal totalization.

Application: Let study lead to humility and devotion; avoid dogmatic finality—hold theological language as pointers, complemented by contemplation and ethical living.

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Type: theological reflection

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated ‘ananta’ and ‘atiśaya’ praise motifs in stuti sections

D
Devī
V
Vedas
D
Deva (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

This verse emphasizes that the Lord’s auspicious qualities are inexhaustible, so praise and remembrance are spiritually meaningful even when scripture has already spoken extensively.

It states that even if the Vedas leave nothing unsaid, the Lord still possesses a unique excellence that remains beyond total verbal capture—indicating transcendence beyond language.

Cultivate humility in spiritual study and practice: continue nāma-japa, stotra, and ethical living, recognizing that divine reality exceeds intellectual completeness.