Shloka 12

Devanagari script

चतुर्विधशरीराणि धृत्वा मुक्त्वा सहस्रशः / सुकृतान्मा नवो भूत्वा ज्ञानी चेन्मोक्षमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

caturvidhaśarīrāṇi dhṛtvā muktvā sahasraśaḥ / sukṛtānmā navo bhūtvā jñānī cenmokṣamāpnuyāt

Translation

నాలుగు విధాల శరీరాలను వేలసార్లు ధరించి విడిచినప్పటికీ, పుణ్యఫలంతోనైనా మళ్లీ కొత్త జన్మ పొందకూడదు; జ్ఞాని అయితే మోక్షాన్ని పొందుతాడు।

Word by Word

• चतुर्विधशरीराणि: fourfold bodies
• चतुर्विधशरीराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विध-शरीर (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर्विध + शरीर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (चतुर्विधानि शरीराणि)

• धृत्वा: having assumed
• धृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालक्रिया; ‘having borne/assumed’

• मुक्त्वा: having abandoned
• मुक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालक्रिया; ‘having released/abandoned’

• सहस्रशः: by thousands; countless times
• सहस्रशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/आवृत्तिवाचक (adverb of frequency)

• सुकृतात्: from merit
• सुकृतात्: Apādāna/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘from/through merit’

• मा: not; do not
• मा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive/negative particle)

• नवः: new (again)
• नवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालक्रिया; ‘having become’

• ज्ञानी: a knower
• ज्ञानी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘one who has knowledge’

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

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

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even punya can bind to renewed birth; only the knower of truth attains moksha after countless assumptions of bodies.

Vedantic Theme: Punya/papa are within avidya; jnana alone cuts the root of rebirth (avidya-kama-karma).

Application: Do good without attachment to results; pursue self-knowledge (tattva-jnana) so merit does not become a cause for continued samsara.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.13 (human birth as locus of tattva-jnana); Garuda Purana 2.49.14 (human birth gained by merit)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Atman
• Moksha

FAQs

What is the importance of knowledge (jñāna) in the Garuda Purana’s teaching on liberation?

This verse states that even vast merit (sukṛta) can keep one within rebirth, whereas true knowledge makes liberation possible.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after repeated deaths?

It depicts the soul repeatedly taking and discarding multiple layers of embodiment, and points to jñāna as the way to end the cycle rather than accumulating merit alone.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform good actions, but also cultivate self-knowledge through study, reflection, and disciplined living so merit does not become another cause for continued rebirth.