Shloka 16

Hari in the Primeval Waters: Prakṛti as Veil, the ‘Sleep’ Metaphor, and Brahmā’s Lotus-Channel Inquiry

Devanagari script

मोक्षं देहि महादेव त्वद्भक्तानां महाप्रभो / परमाच्छादिका ह्यस्मान्नित्य संसारिणो यतः

Transliteration

mokṣaṃ dehi mahādeva tvadbhaktānāṃ mahāprabho / paramācchādikā hyasmānnitya saṃsāriṇo yataḥ

Translation

హే మహాదేవా, హే మహాప్రభో! నీ భక్తులకు మోక్షాన్ని ప్రసాదించుము. పరమ ఆవరణము మమ్మల్ని కప్పివేస్తుంది; అందువల్ల మేము నిత్యం సంసారచక్రంలో బద్ధులమై ఉంటాము.

Word by Word

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

• देहि: give (grant)
• देहि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) (ददाति)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• त्वद्भक्तानाम्: of your devotees
• त्वद्भक्तानाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्वस्य भक्ताः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• महाप्रभो: O great lord
• महाप्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• परमाच्छादिका: the supreme veiler (female)
• परमाच्छादिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आच्छादिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (particle: for/indeed)

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• नित्य: always
• नित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोग; 'always' (adverbial use of adjective)

• संसारिणः: as transmigrators (bound to saṃsāra)
• संसारिणः: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (causal indeclinable: because/since)

Speaker

A devotee (supplicant) addressing Mahadeva (Lord Shiva)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avidyā/āvaraṇa as the cause of perpetual saṃsāra; liberation is sought through divine grace toward devotees.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā-āvaraṇa and saṃsāra; grace (anugraha) as the remover of bondage; movement toward śaraṇāgati-bhakti.

Application: Cultivate humility and prayerful surrender; recognize recurring patterns of bondage as rooted in ignorance and seek its removal through disciplined devotion and discernment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): mokṣa-prakaraṇa and nāma-smaraṇa passages where bondage is tied to ajñāna and release to bhakti/anugraha

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of moksha in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse frames moksha as the highest aim and portrays it as a grace to be sought from Mahadeva, especially for devoted worshippers who wish to transcend repeated rebirth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It explains bondage as continuing samsara caused by a “supreme veil” (a covering akin to ignorance/delusion), implying that liberation comes when that covering is removed through divine grace and devotion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotion, self-inquiry, and disciplined living to reduce delusion and attachment—then orient one’s life toward liberation rather than endless worldly repetition.