Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

रजस्यप्येकभागेन प्रविष्टं यच्च तद्रजः / एवं द्वादशभागैश्च प्रविष्टं सर्वशो रजः

Transliteration

rajasyapyekabhāgena praviṣṭaṃ yacca tadrajaḥ / evaṃ dvādaśabhāgaiśca praviṣṭaṃ sarvaśo rajaḥ

Translation

రజస్సులో ఒక్క భాగమైనా ప్రవేశిస్తే అది నిజంగా రజస్సే అవుతుంది. అలాగే ద్వాదశ భాగాల ద్వారా ప్రవేశించి రజస్సు సమస్తమును అన్ని విధాలా వ్యాపిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• रजसि: in rajas
• रजसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• एकभागेन: with one part
• एकभागेन: Karana (करण/Instrument-measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—एक + भाग (द्विगु)

• प्रविष्टम्: entered
• प्रविष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+विश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘प्रविष्ट’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; रजः इति विशेषणम्

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• द्वादशभागैः: with twelve parts
• द्वादशभागैः: Karana (करण/Instrument-measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वादश + भाग (द्विगु)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रविष्टम्: entered
• प्रविष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+विश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘प्रविष्ट’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वशः: altogether/in every way
• सर्वशः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: entirely/in every way)

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Guṇa-miśraṇa: even a small ingress of rajas conditions the whole complex; rajas tends to pervade and color experience.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-traya-viveka and prakṛti-pariṇāma (Sāṅkhya-leaning cosmology used for discernment).

Application: Cultivate sattva by guarding inputs (food, company, speech); notice how a small agitation can dominate the mind and correct early (saṃyama, śama).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.52-55 (guṇa-proportions; Mahat-tattva mixture)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Rajas

FAQs

What is the importance of rajas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that even a small ‘entry’ of rajas (impurity/rajo-guṇa) can color the whole state of being, and when it enters in many “parts,” it pervades life completely—hence the emphasis on purification and disciplined living.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By showing how rajas pervades, the verse implies that the soul’s post-death experience is shaped by the quality (guṇa) dominating the mind-subtle body; rajas leads to restlessness and binding tendencies that affect one’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce rajas by cultivating sattva: truthful speech, moderation, clean habits, prayer/recitation, and mindful conduct—so that impurity does not spread through one’s thoughts and actions.