Shloka 111

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

ज्ञानह्रदे सत्यजले रागद्वेषमलापहे / यः स्नाति मानसे तीर्थे स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

jñānahrade satyajale rāgadveṣamalāpahe / yaḥ snāti mānase tīrthe sa vai mokṣamavāpnuyāt

Translation

ज्ञानह्रदे सत्यजले रागद्वेषमलापहे। यः स्नाति मानसे तीर्थे स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्॥

Word by Word

• ज्ञानह्रदे: in the lake of knowledge
• ज्ञानह्रदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + ह्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); (ज्ञानस्य ह्रदे = in the lake of knowledge)

• सत्यजले: in the water of truth
• सत्यजले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); (सत्यस्य जले = in the water of truth)

• रागद्वेषमलापहे: in that which removes the impurity of attachment and aversion
• रागद्वेषमलापहे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राग + द्वेष + मल + अपह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (7th/Locative) (तीर्थे/ह्रदे विशेषण); (राग-द्वेष-मलान् अपहन्ति इति)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• स्नाति: bathes
• स्नाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• मानसे: mental/within the mind
• मानसे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (7th/Locative) (तीर्थे विशेषण)

• तीर्थे: in the sacred ford/pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (7th/Locative)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Inner bathing in knowledge and truth removes attachment and aversion, leading to liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Antahkarana-shuddhi (purification of mind) as prerequisite/vehicle for moksha; satya-jnana as the true tirtha.

Application: Practice satya (truthfulness) and jnana (study, reflection, meditation); observe and dissolve raga-dvesha through self-awareness; treat daily introspection as pilgrimage.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.110 (dvandva-vimukti); Garuda Purana 2.49.112 (bhakti with vairagya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'mental tīrtha' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that the highest pilgrimage is inner: bathing the mind in knowledge and truth, which purifies attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa), leading toward moksha.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing removal of rāga-dveṣa, it points to liberation as a state achieved through inner purification and right understanding, not merely through external acts—aligning the soul with truth and wisdom.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate truthfulness and self-knowledge daily (study, reflection, ethical living) and consciously reduce reactive likes/dislikes; this is presented as a direct purifier leading toward freedom.