Shloka 24

Sup–Tiṅ Foundations: Prātipadika, Vibhaktis/Kārakas, and Lakāras

Tense–Mood System

Devanagari script

लिङतीते परोक्षे स्याल्लिड् भूते ऌड् भविष्यति / स्यादनद्यतने तद्वद्भविष्यति तु धातुतः

Transliteration

liṅatīte parokṣe syālliḍ bhūte ḷḍ bhaviṣyati / syādanadyatane tadvadbhaviṣyati tu dhātutaḥ

Translation

अतीते परोक्षे लिङ् स्यात्; भूते लिट्; भविष्यति ऌट् भवति। तथा अनद्यतनेऽपि धातोः सामर्थ्यानुसारं भविष्यदर्थो निरूप्यते॥

Word by Word

• लिङ्: liṅ (optative/subjunctive marker)
• लिङ्: Karta (Topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ् (लकार-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; लकार-संज्ञा

• अतीते: in the past
• अतीते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• परोक्षे: indirect/remote (unwitnessed)
• परोक्षे: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अतीते इति विशेषण

• स्यात्: would be/should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• लिट्: liṭ (perfect)
• लिट्: Karta (Topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिट् (लकार-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूते: in the past
• भूते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• लृट्: lṛṭ (simple future)
• लृट्: Karta (Topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लृट् (लकार-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अनद्यतने: in the non-today (remote) time
• अनद्यतने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनद्यतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (कालवाचक)

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानार्थ (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेष (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• धातुतः: from the root
• धातुतः: Hetu/Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Epistemic distance and time: parokṣa past (liṅ), perfect (liṭ), future (ḷṭ), and non-immediate temporal framing.

Vedantic Theme: Relation between knowledge-mode (seen/unseen) and expression; careful speech mirrors careful cognition.

Application: When narrating hearsay/indirectly known events, use appropriate mood; distinguish perfect vs future forms in interpretation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.205.22 (laṅ for non-today past); Garuda Purana 1.205.25 (conditional ḷṅ; kṛt usages)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of liṅ (optative) in Garuda Purana interpretation?

This verse states that liṅ is used for indirectly known past events (parokṣa), helping readers interpret narrative statements and injunction-like expressions accurately.

How does this verse explain time-reference in Sanskrit used in the Garuda Purana?

It distinguishes indirect past (liṅ), completed past (liṭ), and future expression (ḷṭ), and notes that ‘non-immediate’ time (anadyatana) future usage depends on the verbal root.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When studying or chanting, recognize whether a line is describing an unseen past, a completed event, or a future result—this improves accurate understanding of doctrine and ritual instructions.