Shloka 32

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

राशिभूतेपि तमसि मिश्रितं भवति ध्रुवम् / तमोराशिस्थितिस्त्वेवं ज्ञातव्या पक्षिसत्तम

Transliteration

rāśibhūtepi tamasi miśritaṃ bhavati dhruvam / tamorāśisthitistvevaṃ jñātavyā pakṣisattama

Translation

తమస్సు రాశిగా కూడినప్పటికీ, ఇతర గుణాల మిశ్రమం నిశ్చయంగా జరుగుతుంది. హే పక్షిశ్రేష్ఠా! ‘తమోరాశి’ స్థితిని ఇలానే గ్రహించవలెను.

Word by Word

• rāśi-bhūte: when (it is) aggregated
• rāśi-bhūte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (भू धातु + क्त)
• Form: Locative, Singular; agrees with tamasi

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• tamasi: in tamas
• tamasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• miśritam: mixed
• miśritam: Kriyā (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: miśr (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicative

• bhavati: becomes; is
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• dhruvam: certainly; surely
• dhruvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Used adverbially as indeclinable (निश्चयार्थक अव्ययप्रयोग)

• tamaḥ-rāśi-sthitiḥ: the condition of the tamas-aggregate
• tamaḥ-rāśi-sthitiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + rāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; ‘state of the tamas-aggregate’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• jñātavyā: should be known
• jñātavyā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with sthitiḥ; ‘is to be known’

• pakṣi-sattama: O best of birds
• pakṣi-sattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; संबोधन; ‘best of birds’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Guṇas are never absolutely isolated; even concentrated tamas contains admixture, implying dynamic prakṛti.

Vedantic Theme: Apparent solidity of ignorance is composite; discrimination sees mixture and thereby loosens identification with tamasic states.

Application: When facing lethargy/confusion, assume some sattva/rajas is present; leverage it (small action, light, study) rather than treating the state as total darkness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.31 (tenfold division of tamas); Garuda Purana 3.4.33 (Garuḍa’s objection about sattva predominance)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of understanding tamas (darkness) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse clarifies that even ‘dense darkness’ is not absolutely pure; it is understood as a state where mixture still occurs, helping readers grasp how gunas operate in cosmology and experience.

How does this verse explain the nature of a ‘mass of darkness’ (tamorāśi)?

It states that when tamas appears as a consolidated mass, it should still be understood as mixed—implying interaction and gradation rather than an isolated, unchanging substance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recognize that even heavy ignorance or confusion can contain traces of clarity and change; cultivate sattva (discipline, truthfulness, study) to reduce tamas rather than treating it as permanent.