Shloka 94

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

Devanagari script

तत्कर्म यन्न बन्धाय सा विद्या या विमुक्तिदा / आयासायापरं कर्म विद्यान्या शिल्पनैपुणम्

Transliteration

tatkarma yanna bandhāya sā vidyā yā vimuktidā / āyāsāyāparaṃ karma vidyānyā śilpanaipuṇam

Translation

బంధనానికి కారణం కానిది మాత్రమే నిజమైన కర్మ; విముక్తిని ఇచ్చేదే నిజమైన విద్య. మిగతా కర్మ అంతా శ్రమకే దారి; మిగతా ‘విద్య’ కేవలం శిల్పనైపుణ్యమే.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश-विशेषणम् (demonstrative)

• कर्म: action
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• बन्धाय: for bondage
• बन्धाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन

• सा: that (she/that)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• विद्या: knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• विमुक्ति-दा: giving liberation
• विमुक्ति-दा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (धातु/प्रातिपदिक-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विमुक्तिं ददाति इति)

• आयासाय: for toil
• आयासाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (प्रयोजन), एकवचन

• अपरम्: other
• अपरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कर्म: action
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्या: knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्या: other
• अन्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शिल्प-नैपुणम्: skill in crafts
• शिल्प-नैपुणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + नैपुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शिल्पे नैपुणम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Only that action is ‘karma’ which does not bind; only that knowledge is ‘vidyā’ which liberates—otherwise they are mere toil and technical skill.

Vedantic Theme: Karma purified into non-binding action (niṣkāma/īśvara-arpita) and vidyā as self-knowledge; critique of mere upādhis (skills) as not final.

Application: Audit activities by their effect on attachment and ego; convert duties into offering, reduce craving for results, and prioritize liberating inquiry over mere credentialism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.49.93 (mama as bondage; non-appropriation as freedom); Garuda Purana 2.49.90-91 (beyond ritual; viveka-born realization)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of non-binding karma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines ‘true’ karma as action that does not create bondage—i.e., action aligned with liberation rather than generating further attachment and karmic consequences.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames the soul’s progress as depending on whether one’s actions and learning reduce bondage (leading toward vimukti) or merely increase worldly entanglement (leading to continued wandering and effort).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose duties and spiritual practice that lessen attachment and ego, and treat technical learning as secondary—useful, but not a substitute for liberating wisdom.