Shloka 19

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

शब्दादयो गुणाः पञ्च सत्त्वाद्याश्च गुणास्त्रयः / पुर्यष्टकस्य पद्मस्य पत्राण्यष्टौ च तानि हि

Transliteration

śabdādayo guṇāḥ pañca sattvādyāśca guṇāstrayaḥ / puryaṣṭakasya padmasya patrāṇyaṣṭau ca tāni hi

Translation

शब्दादयः पञ्च तन्मात्रागुणाः, सत्त्वादयश्च त्रयो गुणाः। एतान्येव पुर्यष्टकपद्मस्य अष्टौ पत्राणि निश्चयेन॥

Word by Word

• शब्दादयः: sound etc. (the set beginning with sound)
• शब्दादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-समासः: ‘शब्दः आदिः येषां ते’ इति समूहवाचकः)

• गुणाः: qualities
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषणम्; (गुणान् विशेषयति)

• सत्त्वाद्याः: (those) beginning with sattva (i.e., sattva etc.)
• सत्त्वाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-समासः: ‘सत्त्वम् आदिः येषां ते’)

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

• गुणाः: qualities
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (गुणान् विशेषयति)

• पुर्यष्टकस्य: of the puryaṣṭaka (eightfold inner complex)
• पुर्यष्टकस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पुर्याः अष्टकम्’ = eightfold city/body-complex)

• पद्मस्य: of the lotus
• पद्मस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• पत्राणि: petals/leaves
• पत्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (पत्राणि विशेषयति)

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

• तानि: those (they)
• तानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणबोधक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The psycho-physical subtle complex (‘city-of-eight’) is constituted by five tanmātras (sound etc.) plus the three guṇas, symbolized as eight lotus petals.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka between the knower and the known; analysis of prakṛti’s evolutes as not-Self (anātman) to prepare for liberation.

Application: Use the eightfold lotus model in meditation: observe sense-qualities and guṇas as objects arising in awareness; cultivate dis-identification from them.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.20-22 (prakṛti as karnikā; liberation by transcending pury-aṣṭaka; yoga-sādhana)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Sattva
• Rajas
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the importance of puryaṣṭaka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies puryaṣṭaka as a subtle-body ‘lotus’ structure whose components include the five sense-qualities and the three guṇas—key factors that accompany and condition the jīva’s experience beyond death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing the subtle body as constituted by sense-qualities and guṇas, the verse implies that the soul’s post-death experiences are shaped by these subtle constituents rather than by the gross physical body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivating sattva (clarity and restraint) and reducing rajas/tamas through ethical living, discipline, and devotion refines the inner constitution that, according to this teaching, influences one’s subtle experience.