Home›Garuda Purana›Moksha Sadhana Prakarana›Adhyaya 12›Shloka 89
←Previous Verse
Next Verse→

Shloka 89

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

मणिमांस्तत्समो ज्ञेयः किञ्चिदूनो बकः स्मृतः / तस्माद्विंशद्गुणैर्हीनस्तारकाख्यो महासुरः

Transliteration

maṇimāṃstatsamo jñeyaḥ kiñcidūno bakaḥ smṛtaḥ / tasmādviṃśadguṇairhīnastārakākhyo mahāsuraḥ

Translation

Маṇиман следует понимать как равного ему; Бака памятуется как немного уступающий. А великий асура по имени Тарака уступает ему двадцатью качествами.

Word by Word
मणिमान्Maṇimān (a named being)
मणिमान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमणिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)
तत्-समःequal to that
तत्-समः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास: तेन समः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
ज्ञेयःto be known
ज्ञेयः:
Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (प्रत्यय)
Formकृदन्त (gerundive/यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
किञ्चित्a little
किञ्चित्:
Visheshana (विशेषण-भाव)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
Formअव्यय-प्रयोग (adverbial), अल्पपरिमाणवाचक
ऊनःless/deficient
ऊनः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootऊन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
बकःBaka
बकः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootबक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
स्मृतःis said/remembered
स्मृतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
तस्मात्from that (therefore)
तस्मात्:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
विंशत्-गुणैःby twenty qualities (twentyfold)
विंशत्-गुणैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootविंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्विगु-समास: विंशद्गुण; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
हीनःdeficient/less
हीनः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
तारक-आख्यःnamed Tāraka
तारक-आख्यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootतारक (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास: तारक इति आख्या यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
महा-असुरःthe great demon
महा-असुरः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास: महान् असुरः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Relative excellence is comparative and contingent; beings differ widely in manifested capacities.

Vedantic Theme: Vikāra-bheda within prakṛti; names and forms vary while all remain within saṃsāric limitation.

Application: Use comparative assessment to cultivate humility; focus on self-improvement rather than rivalry; recognize that ‘slight’ vs ‘vast’ differences arise from accumulated tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.88–92 (sequence of daitya comparisons by guṇa/strength counts)

Characters & Entities
M
Maṇimān
B
Baka
T
Tāraka
A
Asuras

FAQs

This verse uses comparative “guṇas” (qualities/attributes) to map a hierarchy among named Asuras, a common Purāṇic method for conveying relative strength, influence, and cosmic status.

It does not directly address the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it situates the narrative in a broader cosmological catalogue where beings are compared by qualities—background material that frames later teachings on dharma and consequences.

Use it as a reminder that traditions often teach through graded comparisons: cultivate higher guṇas (virtues and disciplined qualities) rather than competing for status or power.

←Previous Verse
Next Verse→