Shloka 28

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

नतो ऽहं सर्वदास्मिञ्शरीरे ऽहंममेत्यभिमानेन शून्यः / अत्तो ऽप्यहं त्वशरीरी सदैव तथैव नित्यं बहिरर्थैश्च शून्यः

Transliteration

nato 'haṃ sarvadāsmiñśarīre 'haṃmametyabhimānena śūnyaḥ / atto 'pyahaṃ tvaśarīrī sadaiva tathaiva nityaṃ bahirarthaiśca śūnyaḥ

Translation

ఈ శరీరంలో నేను సదా నమస్కారభావంతో ఉన్నాను; అయినా ‘నేను’ ‘నాది’ అనే అహంకారాభిమానము లేనివాడను. కాలమార్పులచే ‘భక్షింపబడిన’ప్పటికీ నేను ఎల్లప్పుడూ శరీరరహితుడనే; అలాగే నిత్యం బాహ్య విషయాల నుండీ శూన్యుడను.

Word by Word

• नतः: bowed/submissive
• नतः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate: 'bowed')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (always)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; अधिकरण

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मम: my/mine
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative)

• अभिमानेन: by the ego-notion/identification
• अभिमानेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; करण (instrumental: 'by/with')

• शून्यः: empty/devoid
• शून्यः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu-phala (हेतु-फल/Result marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (but/indeed)

• अशरीरी: bodiless
• अशरीरी: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सदैव: always
• सदैव: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (in that manner)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• नित्यम्: eternally
• नित्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• बहिः-अर्थैः: by/with external objects
• बहिः-अर्थैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव (adverbial compound: 'external objects'); करण

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

• शून्यः: empty/devoid
• शून्यः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aham-mama-abhimana-shunyata (freedom from ‘I’ and ‘mine’), and the self as ashariri (bodiless) untouched by change.

Vedantic Theme: Atman as akarta/abhokta and asanga; neti-neti toward nirvishaya awareness; body-mind as upadhi.

Application: Daily contemplation: observe ‘I/mine’ thoughts, label them as upadhi-based, and rest in witness-consciousness especially amid aging, loss, and change.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda/Acara-khanda) teachings on vairagya and atma-viveka (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of overcoming “I” and “mine” in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames liberation as freedom from abhimāna—identifying with the body and possessiveness—so the Self is known as untouched by change.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It points to the soul (Atman) as aśarīrī—bodiless—implying that death and transformation affect the body, not the essential Self, which should not cling to external objects.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce possessiveness and ego-driven reactions by remembering that the body and objects are transient; act ethically with detachment and steadiness in loss, gain, and change.