Shloka 5

Kula-amṛta: Śiva’s Teaching to Nārada on Viṣṇu-Dhyāna and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

महेश्वर उवाच / ज्ञानामृतं परं गुह्यं रहस्यमृषिसत्तम / वक्ष्यामि शृणु दुः खघ्नं भवबन्धभयामहम्

Transliteration

maheśvara uvāca / jñānāmṛtaṃ paraṃ guhyaṃ rahasyamṛṣisattama / vakṣyāmi śṛṇu duḥ khaghnaṃ bhavabandhabhayāmaham

Translation

พระมหีศวรตรัสว่า “ดูก่อนฤๅษีผู้ประเสริฐ เราจักประกาศอมฤตแห่งญาณอันล้ำลึกและเร้นลับยิ่งนัก จงสดับเถิด; ธรรมนี้ทำลายความทุกข์และขจัดความหวาดกลัวอันเกิดจากพันธะแห่งภพ”

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + ईश्वरः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः, रूढ)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ज्ञानामृतम्: nectar of knowledge
• ज्ञानामृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—ज्ञानस्य अमृतम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• गुह्यम्: secret
• गुह्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ज्ञानामृतम्)

• रहस्यम्: mysterious/hidden
• रहस्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ज्ञानामृतम्)

• ऋषिसत्तम: O best of sages
• ऋषिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समासः—ऋषीणां सत्तमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), सम्बोधन-रूप

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall declare
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दुःखघ्नम्: destroyer of sorrow
• दुःखघ्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—दुःखं हन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः); विशेषणम् (ज्ञानामृतम्)

• भवबन्धभयामहम्: remover of fear of bondage in worldly existence
• भवबन्धभयामहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव + बन्ध + भय + अमह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—भवस्य बन्धस्य भयम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अमह (नाशक/अपह) इति बहुपद-समास; विशेषणम् (ज्ञानामृतम्)

Speaker

Maheshvara (Lord Shiva)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Secret liberating knowledge (jnana-amrita) destroys sorrow and fear born of saṃsāric bondage.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as the root of bhaya and duḥkha; jñāna as the direct antidote leading toward freedom from bhava-bandha.

Application: Cultivate śravaṇa-manana of tattva-jñāna with humility; treat spiritual instruction as medicine for anxiety, grief, and attachment-driven fear.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa themes): fear of saṃsāra and the need for liberating knowledge recur throughout dialogues on death and post-death destiny.; Garuda Purana (bhakti/jnana passages): rahasya-upadesha framing is common in mokṣa-oriented sections.

Characters & Entities

• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Rishi (addressed)

FAQs

What is the importance of jñānāmṛta (nectar of knowledge) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents spiritual knowledge as a transformative “nectar” that directly ends sorrow and uproots fear caused by attachment and bondage to saṃsāra.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing secret liberating knowledge, it points to inner realization as the means to transcend worldly bondage—implying the soul’s freedom comes through wisdom rather than mere external action.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study and contemplate liberating teachings, cultivate detachment and clarity, and use knowledge to reduce fear and suffering in daily life by loosening compulsive worldly identification.