Shloka 39

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

तेन प्रीतिर्देवदेवस्य विष्णर्भविष्यतीत्येव विनिश्चितात्मा / प्रश्रादिकं त्वज्ञवत्सर्वदैवं करिष्येहं मोहनायाधमानाम्

Transliteration

tena prītirdevadevasya viṣṇarbhaviṣyatītyeva viniścitātmā / praśrādikaṃ tvajñavatsarvadaivaṃ kariṣyehaṃ mohanāyādhamānām

Translation

ด้วยจิตที่ตัดสินมั่นว่า “ด้วยสิ่งนี้ พระวิษณุผู้เป็นเทพเหนือเทพจักพอพระทัยแน่” เขาจะประกอบศราทธะและพิธีเกี่ยวเนื่องประหนึ่งผู้ไม่รู้ และจะกระทำพิธีกรรมอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ที่นี่อย่างต่อเนื่อง เพื่อหลอกลวงผู้มีใจต่ำทราม

Word by Word

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रीतिः: pleasure, satisfaction
• प्रीतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Future tense (लृट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• विनिश्चित-आत्मा: one whose resolve is firm
• विनिश्चित-आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नि + चि (धातु) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) 'विनिश्चित' + आत्मा; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि—'whose mind/self is determined'

• प्रश्र-आदिकम्: humility etc. (reading uncertain)
• प्रश्र-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्र (प्रातिपदिक; uncertain reading) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); पाठदोष/दुर्लभ-शब्दः—प्रश्रादिकम् (संभवतः 'प्रश्रयादिकम्' = humility etc.)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• अज्ञ-वत्: as if ignorant
• अज्ञ-वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (उपमान-अव्यय) meaning 'like an ignorant person'

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• करिष्ये: I will do
• करिष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Future tense (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• मोहनाय: for delusion, for deluding
• मोहनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) / Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) abstract, Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• अधमानाम्: of the low/base (people)
• अधमानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Narrator (within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual action (including śrāddha) is to be performed with the inner intention of pleasing Viṣṇu; outward appearance (as if ignorant) can be adopted for dharmic strategy.

Vedantic Theme: Karma offered to Īśvara (īśvara-arpita-buddhi) purifies; inner resolve (niścaya) outweighs external labels of knowledge/ignorance.

Application: Perform obligatory rites without arrogance; keep intention devotional; avoid provoking the malicious—let actions be steady, motives pure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12.38 (mohana rationale); Garuda Purana 3.12.40 (śravaṇa for Hari-prīti)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of śrāddha in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames śrāddha as a rite believed to please Lord Viṣṇu, but it also warns that rituals can be performed outwardly—even strategically—without genuine understanding or purity of intent.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes the ritual framework (śrāddha and daiva-kriyā) associated with post-death duties; the text also cautions that mere performance without sincerity can become empty show or even a tool for misleading others.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral and devotional rites with clarity and sincerity—prioritizing ethical conduct and true reverence—rather than using ritual as social display or manipulation.