Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पञ्चमः कपिलो नाम सिद्धेशः कालविप्लुतम् / प्रोवाच सूरये साङ्ख्यं तत्त्वग्रामवि निर्णयम्

Transliteration

pañcamaḥ kapilo nāma siddheśaḥ kālaviplutam / provāca sūraye sāṅkhyaṃ tattvagrāmavi nirṇayam

Translation

पञ्चमः कपिलो नाम सिद्धेशः; कालविप्लुते सति साङ्ख्यं सूरये प्रोवाच, तत्त्वग्रामस्य निर्णायकम्।

Word by Word

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ordinal)

• कपिलः: Kapila
• कपिलः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Qualifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (नाम-शब्दः, 'by name')

• सिद्धेशः: lord of the perfected ones
• सिद्धेशः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सिद्धानाम् ईशः)

• कालविप्लुतम्: overwhelmed/obscured by time
• कालविप्लुतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्लुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कालेन विप्लुतम्)

• प्रोवाच: told/expounded
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूरये: to the sage Sūri
• सूरये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• साङ्ख्यम्: Sāṅkhya (doctrine)
• साङ्ख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साङ्ख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्त्वग्रामविनिर्णयम्: the decisive analysis of the collection of principles
• तत्त्वग्रामविनिर्णयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + विनिर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (तत्त्वानां ग्रामस्य विनिर्णयः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sāṅkhya’s tattva-viniścaya—discriminative enumeration clarifying principles to restore clarity amid confusion.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) between puruṣa and prakṛti as a pathway to freedom; knowledge as antidote to temporal upheaval.

Application: Study foundational categories (mind, senses, guṇas), observe their operations, and cultivate detachment through discernment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: jñāna and tattva-vicāra praised as liberating supports alongside bhakti (recensional parallels)

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Surya

FAQs

What is the importance of Sāṅkhya (tattva analysis) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Sāṅkhya as a definitive method for determining the tattvas (fundamental principles), grounding later teachings on the self, bondage, and liberation in a clear metaphysical map.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing to Kapila’s ‘tattva-grāma’ analysis, it indicates that understanding the distinction between principles (like prakṛti and puruṣa) is foundational for discerning the soul’s true nature beyond time-bound upheavals.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study and reflect on the tattvas—what is changing vs. the witnessing self—so daily decisions become less reactive to ‘kāla-viplava’ (life’s disruptions) and more aligned with discernment and dharma.