Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

मृतः परे ऽह्नि क्षेत्रज्ञः संजातो ऽयं गुणात्मकः / एकत्वे ऽपि पृथग्भावस्तथा क्षेत्रात्मनो नृप

Transliteration

mṛtaḥ pare 'hni kṣetrajñaḥ saṃjāto 'yaṃ guṇātmakaḥ / ekatve 'pi pṛthagbhāvastathā kṣetrātmano nṛpa

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา ในวันถัดจากความตาย ผู้รู้แห่งกษेत्र (กษेत्रชญะ) นี้บังเกิดเป็นรูปที่ประกอบด้วยคุณะ แม้เป็นหนึ่งเดียว ก็ยังปรากฏความแยกกันระหว่างกษेत्रกับกษेत्रาตมัน

Word by Word

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु √मृ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (of क्षेत्रज्ञः)

• परे: on the next
• परे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; विशेषण (of अह्नि)

• अह्नि: day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रज्ञः: knower of the field (self)
• क्षेत्रज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य ज्ञः)

• संजातः: has arisen/been born
• संजातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + जन् (धातु √जन्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• गुणात्मकः: made of the guṇas
• गुणात्मकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणाः आत्मा यस्य/गुणैः आत्मकः = constituted of qualities)

• एकत्वे: in oneness
• एकत्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Concessive particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive: even/though)

• पृथग्भावः: separateness
• पृथग्भावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (पृथक् इति भावः)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (likewise)

• क्षेत्रात्मनः: of the embodied self (field-self)
• क्षेत्रात्मनः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य आत्मा)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to a king as the addressed listener in this section)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After death, the conscious knower (kṣetrajña) appears associated with a guṇa-constituted form; despite essential oneness, apparent separateness between field (body/psyche) and indwelling Self arises.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle body (liṅga/guṇa-śarīra) as vehicle of saṃsāra; apparent duality due to upādhi; kṣetra–kṣetrajña viveka (cf. Gītā 13).

Application: Use death-awareness to loosen attachment; observe guṇa-driven reactions as ‘kṣetra’ phenomena; practice discrimination: ‘this is mind/body activity, not the Self’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of post-death subtle embodiment and journey; Garuda Purana: kṣetrajña/ātman discussions in mokṣa-oriented chapters

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrajña
• Guṇas
• Kṣetra
• Ātman

FAQs

What is the importance of the kṣetrajña (knower of the field) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that after death the conscious principle (kṣetrajña) continues, taking on a guṇa-based condition, which explains continuity of experience beyond the gross body.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It indicates an immediate post-death transition: the self persists and, due to guṇas, experiences an apparent separation from the former bodily field (kṣetra), setting the stage for further post-mortem journey and consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity, restraint, compassion) through ethical living and disciplined practice, since guṇa-conditioning is presented as shaping one’s post-death state and perception.