Shloka 6

Brahman Beyond the Elements and the Three States (Turīya) — Dhyāna Leading to Brahma-realization

Devanagari script

रहितं रजसा नित्यं व्यतिरिक्तं गुणैस्त्रिभिः / सर्वरूपविहीनं वै कर्तृत्वादिविवर्जितम्

Transliteration

rahitaṃ rajasā nityaṃ vyatiriktaṃ guṇaistribhiḥ / sarvarūpavihīnaṃ vai kartṛtvādivivarjitam

Translation

พระสภาวะนั้นปราศจากรชสอยู่เนืองนิตย์ แยกต่างจากคุณทั้งสาม; แท้จริงไร้รูปทั้งปวง และพ้นจากความเป็นผู้กระทำและสิ่งทำนองนั้น.

Word by Word

• रहितम्: devoid (of)
• रहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक-प्रायः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘devoid of’ अर्थे

• रजसा: by/with rajas (passion)
• रजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘always’

• व्यतिरिक्तम्: distinct/separate
• व्यतिरिक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + अति (उपसर्ग) + √रिच्/√रिक् (धातु) → अतिरिक्त/व्यतिरिक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘separate/different’

• गुणैः: by the qualities (guṇas)
• गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-प्रयोगानुसार, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (numeral adjective)

• सर्वरूपविहीनम्: devoid of all forms
• सर्वरूपविहीनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वरूपैः विहीनम्/सर्वरूपस्य अभावः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• कर्तृत्वादिविवर्जितम्: free from doership and the like
• कर्तृत्वादिविवर्जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तृत्व (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ + तृ + त्व) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त, वि+√वृज्, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्तृत्व-आदि-भिः विवर्जितम् = devoid of doership etc.)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman/Ātman is eternally free from rajas, beyond the tri-guṇa framework, formless, and devoid of doership—negating prakṛti-based identity and ego-agency.

Vedantic Theme: Akartṛ-bhoktṛ doctrine; nirākāratva; guṇātīta; adhyāropa-apavāda (negation of superimposed attributes).

Application: Observe the sense of ‘I do’ as a mental construct; practice witness-consciousness and reduce rajas through sattvic living while aiming beyond even sattva via non-identification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated guṇa-transcendence language in jñāna portions (guṇātīta, akartā)

FAQs

What is the importance of being 'beyond the three guṇas' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse points to the highest reality/self as nirguṇa—separate from sattva, rajas, and tamas—indicating liberation is realized by knowing oneself beyond changing mental and material qualities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It defines the liberated principle as formless and non-agent; the soul’s progress toward moksha is framed as dropping identification with guṇas and with the sense of doership that binds karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice reducing egoic doership—offer actions as duty without attachment—and cultivate discernment that the true self is not the restless rajas-driven mind or bodily roles.