Shloka 4

Upāsanā-krama: Maṇḍala-rakṣā, Dvāra-devatā-sthāpana, Lotus-Cosmology, and Aniruddha-Nārāyaṇa Pūjā

Devanagari script

भूमिं धर्मं तथा ज्ञानं वैरग्यैश्वर्यमेव च / अधर्मादींश्च चतुरः कन्दं नालं च पङ्कजम्

Transliteration

bhūmiṃ dharmaṃ tathā jñānaṃ vairagyaiśvaryameva ca / adharmādīṃśca caturaḥ kandaṃ nālaṃ ca paṅkajam

Translation

भूमिराधाररूपा स्यात् धर्मज्ञानविराग्यैश्वर्यगुणान्विता। अधर्मादिचतुष्कं तु कन्दं नालं च पङ्कजम्॥

Word by Word

• भूमिम्: earth
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• वैरग्यैश्वर्यम्: dispassion and lordship
• वैरग्यैश्वर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (वैराग्यं च ऐश्वर्यं च); कर्म

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (restrictive particle)

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

• अधर्मादीन्: adharma and the rest (etc.)
• अधर्मादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (अधर्मः आदिः येषाम्); कर्म

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

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (अधर्मादीन्)

• कन्दम्: bulb, root (of lotus)
• कन्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• नालम्: stalk
• नालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

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

• पङ्कजम्: lotus
• पङ्कजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma, jnana, vairagya, and aishvarya are sustaining qualities; adharma and allied faults are the obstructive ‘bulb/root’; the lotus imagery encodes the path from base to bloom.

Vedantic Theme: Sadhana-chatushtaya resonance: jnana and vairagya as key supports; dharma as preparatory purification; aishvarya as divine potency when aligned with dharma.

Application: Cultivate dharma (ethical living), study/reflection (jnana), detachment (vairagya), and disciplined stewardship of power/resources (aishvarya); identify and uproot adharma-patterns that feed suffering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic-symbolic (lotus/mandala cosmogram)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.126: mandala/lotus symbolism of worship-space and qualities (contextual continuation)

FAQs

What is the importance of dharma, jñāna, vairāgya, and aiśvarya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse groups them as core supports/qualities in a larger symbolic model, presenting righteousness, true knowledge, detachment, and spiritual power as essential pillars of the path.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, by contrasting dharma-centered qualities with forces beginning in adharma; it implies that inner virtues elevate one’s trajectory, while adharma-based tendencies form the lower pull in the symbolic structure.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharma (ethical conduct), jñāna (discernment), and vairāgya (reduced craving); treat power or success (aiśvarya) as secondary and aligned to righteousness rather than desire.