Shloka 4

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

धनधान्ये महापत्रे पापमूलो ऽतिदुर्गमः / विधिवत्सुखशान्त्यर्थं जातो ऽज्ञानमहातरुः

Transliteration

dhanadhānye mahāpatre pāpamūlo 'tidurgamaḥ / vidhivatsukhaśāntyarthaṃ jāto 'jñānamahātaruḥ

Translation

ในผืนนาแห่งทรัพย์และธัญญาหาร ได้เกิดต้นไม้ใบใหญ่—รากคือบาป และถอนยากยิ่ง แม้จะบำรุงตามพิธีเพื่อความสุขและความสงบ แต่แท้จริงคือมหาต้นไม้แห่งอวิชชา

Word by Word

• dhana-dhānye: in wealth and grain
• dhana-dhānye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + dhānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana (collective/dual sense); locative of sphere

• mahāpatre: in great leaves
• mahāpatre: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; locative; metaphor 'in great leaves'

• pāpa-mūlaḥ: having sin as its root
• pāpa-mūlaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; qualifying (taruḥ) implied

• ati-durgamaḥ: very hard to cross/approach
• ati-durgamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + durgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; qualifying (taruḥ) implied

• vidhivat: properly, as prescribed
• vidhivat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + -vat (वत्)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb meaning 'according to rule'

• sukha-śānti-artham: for happiness and peace
• sukha-śānti-artham: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + śānti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; purpose-accusative (प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया)

• jātaḥ: has arisen/was born
• jātaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jan (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kta-participle; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate adjective of (taruḥ) implied

• ajñāna-mahā-taruḥ: the great tree of ignorance
• ajñāna-mahā-taruḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + taru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; main subject implied by context

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A vast-leaved ‘tree’ in the domain of wealth—hard to uproot—has sin as root and ignorance as its true nature, even when maintained ‘according to rule’ for comfort/peace.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual correctness without right knowledge can still serve avidyā; external order does not guarantee inner freedom; karma without jñāna/bhakti may perpetuate bondage.

Application: Audit motives behind wealth-seeking and ‘rule-following’; align livelihood with non-harm and truth; pair ritual/discipline with self-inquiry and devotion to avoid spiritual complacency.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana critiques of mere external ritualism and praise of knowledge/devotion as higher (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of wealth (dhana-dhanya) in Garuda Purana teachings?

This verse frames wealth and provisions as a potential “great tree” of bondage: when rooted in sin and craving, they strengthen ignorance, even if pursued under the cover of socially approved or ritual “proper” conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in relation to karma?

By depicting sin as the root and ignorance as the tree, the verse implies that attachment-driven actions create karmic entanglement that obstructs inner clarity—an obstacle relevant to the soul’s post-death trajectory described throughout the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Pursue livelihood ethically, but regularly test motives: if peace depends only on possessions or status, treat that as a sign of ajñāna and cultivate charity, self-restraint, and spiritual study to uproot the “sin-rooted” attachment.