Shloka 22

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

मिश्ररूपो ह्युपाधिस्तु नित्यसंसारिणां मतः / बाह्योपाधिर्लिङ्गदेहः सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

miśrarūpo hyupādhistu nityasaṃsāriṇāṃ mataḥ / bāhyopādhirliṅgadehaḥ sarveṣāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

สำหรับผู้เวียนว่ายในสังสารวัฏไม่รู้จบ อุปาธิถือว่าเป็นแบบผสม. และอุปาธิภายนอกของสรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวงคือ ลิงคเทหะ (กายละเอียด) — ข้อนี้ไม่มีความสงสัย.

Word by Word

• मिश्ररूपः: of mixed form
• मिश्ररूपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्र + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (‘mixed’ + ‘form’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle

• उपाधिः: limiting adjunct
• उपाधिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle; contrastive

• नित्यसंसारिणाम्: of the perpetual transmigrators
• नित्यसंसारिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + संसारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘नित्यसंसारिन्’ = नित्यः संसारः यस्य/येषां (one who is ever in saṃsāra)

• मतः: is considered/opined
• मतः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘opinion/considered as’

• बाह्योपाधिः: the external adjunct
• बाह्योपाधिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य + उपाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘external’ adjunct)

• लिङ्गदेहः: the subtle body
• लिङ्गदेहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘subtle/mark’ body)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय/adverb of place

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya-saṃsāra is sustained by a mixed upādhi; the bāhya-upādhi is the liṅga-deha common to all beings, enabling continuity across births.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle body as vehicle of saṃskāras and karma-phala; bondage persists while identification with adjuncts remains.

Application: Observe how habits and impressions (saṃskāras) drive repeated patterns; use sādhana (japa, meditation, ethical restraint) to purify the subtle body and reduce compulsive rebirth-patterns.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.2.19 (twofold upādhi); Garuda Purana 3.2.20 (dissolution of external adjunct in mokṣa); Garuda Purana 3.2.21 (adhikāra typology)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Samsarins
• Linga-deha

FAQs

What is the importance of the linga-deha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies the liṅga-deha as the universal “external upādhi,” the subtle carrier through which beings continue in saṃsāra, bearing impressions and karmic momentum.

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

By stating that the external adjunct is the subtle body, it implies that post-death experience and onward journey are mediated through the liṅga-deha rather than the gross physical body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate ethical conduct and mental discipline, since tendencies and karmic impressions are said to persist through the subtle body and shape future experience.