Shloka 58

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

स्वस्ववर्णाश्रमाचारनिरताः सर्वमानवाः / न जानन्ति परं धर्मं वृथा नश्यन्ति दाम्भिकाः

Transliteration

svasvavarṇāśramācāraniratāḥ sarvamānavāḥ / na jānanti paraṃ dharmaṃ vṛthā naśyanti dāmbhikāḥ

Translation

తమ తమ వర్ణాశ్రమ ఆచారాలలో నిమగ్నులైనా మనుష్యులు పరమధర్మాన్ని తెలియరు; దంభికులు వృథాగా నశిస్తారు।

Word by Word

• स्वस्ववर्णाश्रमाचारनिरताः: engaged in their own varṇa-āśrama duties
• स्वस्ववर्णाश्रमाचारनिरताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्ववर्णाश्रमाचारनिरत (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + स्व + वर्ण + आश्रम + आचार + निरत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वस्व-वर्णाश्रम-आचारे निरताः)

• सर्वमानवाः: all people
• सर्वमानवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वमानव (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + मानव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वे मानवाः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परम्: supreme, highest
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वृथा: in vain
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नश्यन्ति: perish
• नश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• दाम्भिकाः: hypocrites, pretenders
• दाम्भिकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाम्भिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mere adherence to customary varṇa-āśrama conduct without knowing para-dharma is insufficient; hypocrisy leads to spiritual failure.

Vedantic Theme: Distinction between apara-dharma (social duty) and para-dharma (liberating truth/devotion); inner purity over external form.

Application: Examine motives; align duties with sincerity and inner transformation; study teachings on para-dharma (bhakti/jñāna) alongside daily obligations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: critique of dambha and emphasis on inner purity; Garuda Purana: teaching that dharma without devotion/knowledge does not yield the highest end

Characters & Entities

• Humans (mānavāḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of knowing 'param dharma' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse says that merely following one’s customary varṇa–āśrama practices is insufficient; without understanding and living the highest Dharma, one’s efforts can become spiritually fruitless.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

In the Preta Kanda’s moral framework, inner truthfulness and genuine dharma shape one’s post-death condition; hypocrisy (dambha) undermines merit and leads to ruin rather than a beneficial journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep religious duties, but prioritize sincerity, compassion, and integrity—avoid performative piety; align outer practice with inner ethics.