Shloka 5

Vīrya, Māyā/Prakṛti, Śrī’s Inseparability, Paramāṇu, and Hari’s Infinitude

Devanagari script

पूर्वरूपं च पूर्णं च पूर्णं पदवितारगम्? / रूपं तदात्मन्यादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते

Transliteration

pūrvarūpaṃ ca pūrṇaṃ ca pūrṇaṃ padavitāragam? / rūpaṃ tadātmanyādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate

Translation

మునుపటి రూపమూ, తరువాతి పరిపూర్ణతయూ—రెండూ తత్త్వతః పరిపూర్ణమే; ఆ రూపం ఆత్మలో లీనమైతే మిగిలేది పరిపూర్ణత మాత్రమే।

Word by Word

• pūrva-rūpam: the prior form
• pūrva-rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय-सदृश/सम्बन्ध): ‘pūrvaṃ rūpam’; Neuter, Accusative Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• pūrṇam: complete
• pūrṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular; qualifying rūpam (understood)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• pūrṇam: complete
• pūrṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular; again qualifying rūpam (elliptic)

• pada-vitāra-gam: going/pertaining to the expansion of steps/abodes (uncertain)
• pada-vitāra-gam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक) + vitāra (प्रातिपदिक) + gam (प्रातिपदिक from √gam)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Neuter, Accusative Singular; text uncertain (‘vitāra’ unclear; possibly ‘vistāra’). Treated as adjective qualifying rūpam

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular; demonstrative referring to rūpam

• ātmani: in oneself
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी) Singular

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + dā (धातु)
• Form: Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) = absolutive; ‘having taken/assuming’

• pūrṇam: complete
• pūrṇam: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative Singular; predicate complement

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• avaśiṣyate: remains
• avaśiṣyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śiṣ (धातु) + ava (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person Singular; ātmanepada; passive-like in sense ‘remains’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pūrṇatā: appearance and completion are both ‘complete’; when form is reabsorbed into the Self, fullness alone remains.

Vedantic Theme: Pūrṇam doctrine (Upaniṣadic); vivarta/appearance dissolving into Brahman; ātma-svarūpa as un-diminishing plenitude.

Application: Practice neti-neti and self-inquiry; treat gains/losses as surface-forms; rest attention in the witnessing Self to experience inner completeness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.3.4 (non-dependence on deśa-kāla); Garuda Purana 3.3.6 (īśvara as overseer of cosmic process)

Characters & Entities

• Atman (Self)

FAQs

What is the importance of 'pūrṇa' (fullness) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It teaches that completeness is the underlying reality; when transient forms are absorbed into the Atman, only fullness remains—pointing to liberation beyond change.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames the soul’s journey as movement through changing forms or states, culminating in the recognition/merging of form into the Self, where undivided completeness remains.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate detachment from shifting identities (roles, status, emotions) and anchor practice in Self-inquiry, devotion, and dharma—remembering that the lasting essence is the Atman.