Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पञ्चीकृतेभ्यो भूतेभ्यो भाण्डादि व्यतिरिक्तकम् / यथा मृदो घटो भिन्नो नास्ति तत्कार्यतस्तथा

Transliteration

pañcīkṛtebhyo bhūtebhyo bhāṇḍādi vyatiriktakam / yathā mṛdo ghaṭo bhinno nāsti tatkāryatastathā

Translation

สิ่งอย่างหม้อและภาชนะทั้งหลายที่เกิดจากธาตุซึ่งผสมห้าส่วน (ปัญจีกฤต) แท้จริงมิได้แยกจากกัน ดังหม้อมิได้ต่างจากดินเหนียวโดยความจริง ฉันนั้นในทัศนะของผล ย่อมไม่มีความต่างจากเหตุอันเป็นวัตถุเดิม

Word by Word

• पञ्चीकृतेभ्यः: from the quintuplicated
• पञ्चीकृतेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चीकृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from पञ्ची-√कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन — Ablative plural ‘from the quintuplicated’ (elements)

• भूतेभ्यः: from the elements
• भूतेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन — Ablative plural

• भाण्डादि: a pot etc. (vessels and the like)
• भाण्डादि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाण्ड + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — here as subject-complement with व्यतिरिक्तकम्; तत्पुरुषः (भाण्डं आदिः यस्य) ‘vessels etc.’

• व्यतिरिक्तकम्: separate/different
• व्यतिरिक्तकम्: Kriya (Predicate complement/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-अति-रिक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from वि+अति+√रिच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular; predicate adjective ‘separate/different’

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• मृदः: of clay
• मृदः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Genitive singular

• घटः: a pot
• घटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• भिन्नः: separate/different
• भिन्नः: Kriya (Predicate complement/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √भिद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular; predicate adjective ‘separate’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निषेध (negation particle)

• अस्ति: exists/is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘is/exists’

• तत्: therefore/that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः — correlating particle ‘therefore/that’ (in tat-kāryatas)

• कार्यतः: as an effect / in terms of product
• कार्यतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय — तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘as an effect/from the standpoint of effect’

• तथा: so/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — adverb (correlative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Products (pots, vessels) made from pañcīkṛta elements are not truly separate; like pot from clay, the effect is non-different from its material cause.

Vedantic Theme: Kārya-kāraṇa ananyatva (non-difference of effect and cause); nāma-rūpa as dependent appearance; supports Brahman as upādāna-kāraṇa in Advaitic reading.

Application: Apply ‘clay-pot’ discernment to experiences: see forms as names on a substrate; reduce reactivity and attachment by tracing phenomena back to their underlying basis.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.239.17 (dissolution of kṣetra)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Bhutas (five elements)

FAQs

What is the importance of the clay-pot analogy in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the clay-pot example to teach that effects (objects) are not ultimately separate from their cause (material basis), supporting a metaphysical view that perceived multiplicity is dependent on the elements.

How does this verse relate to the soul and subtle-body teachings found in the Garuda Purana?

By stressing that formed objects are not truly separate from their elemental cause, the verse prepares the reader to understand embodiment as a temporary configuration of elements—useful for reflections on deha (body), sukshma (subtle) identity, and detachment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate detachment and clarity: treat possessions and bodily identity as transient forms of the same elemental reality, supporting ethical living, reduced greed, and steadiness during loss and death-related rites.