Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

कर्णिकां केसरं सत्त्वं राजसं तामसं गुणम् / सुर्यादिमण्डलान्येव विमलाद्याश्च शक्तयः

Transliteration

karṇikāṃ kesaraṃ sattvaṃ rājasaṃ tāmasaṃ guṇam / suryādimaṇḍalānyeva vimalādyāśca śaktayaḥ

Translation

कर्णिकां केसरं चैव सत्त्व-रजस्-तमो-गुणाः स्मृताः। सूर्यादि-मण्डलान्येव विमलाद्याः शक्तयः पराः॥

Word by Word

• कर्णिकाम्: pericarp; central whorl
• कर्णिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• केसरम्: stamen; filament
• केसरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राजसम्: rajas (activity)
• राजसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तामसम्: tamas (inertia)
• तामसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुणम्: quality; attribute
• गुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूर्यादि-मण्डलानि: the circles/discs beginning with the Sun
• सूर्यादि-मण्डलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास/समाहारार्थ)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• विमलाद्याः: (those) beginning with Vimalā
• विमलाद्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास: ‘beginning with Vimalā’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• शक्तयः: powers; energies (Śaktis)
• शक्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Guṇas (sattva-rajas-tamas) constitute manifest structure; higher spheres correspond to graded śaktis beginning with Vimalā—an ontological map for meditation.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-traya as prakṛti’s modalities; ascent toward viśuddha (vimalā) power suggests purification and sattva-pradhāna orientation toward the Supreme.

Application: Use as a dhyāna/maṇḍala visualization: contemplate guṇas within oneself, then mentally ascend through solar/celestial spheres as śakti-layers toward inner purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda/Upasana sections): lotus/maṇḍala visualizations; guṇa-traya discussions in dharma and mokṣa contexts

Characters & Entities

• Vimalā (Śakti)
• Sūrya-maṇḍala (solar sphere)

FAQs

What is the importance of the guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse maps the three guṇas onto lotus imagery to show that all manifested structures and experiences arise through these constituent qualities of prakṛti.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by locating the guṇas within cosmic structure, it implies that the jīva’s experience of worlds and states is conditioned by the dominance of sattva, rajas, or tamas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, purity) through ethical living and disciplined practice, since one’s inner guṇa-balance shapes perception, choices, and spiritual progress.