Shloka 28

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

य एको भाग उद्दिष्टस्तावत्परिमितं तमः / राशिभूतेपि रजसि मिश्रितं परिकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

ya eko bhāga uddiṣṭastāvatparimitaṃ tamaḥ / rāśibhūtepi rajasi miśritaṃ parikīrtitam

Translation

สิ่งใดที่ระบุว่าเป็น ‘ส่วนเดียว’ ก็ย่อมถูกวัดเท่านั้นว่าเป็นตมัส (ความมืด) และแม้เมื่อรชัสรวมเป็นกอง ก็ยังกล่าวว่าเป็นสภาพคละเคล้า (กับตมัส)

Word by Word

• yaḥ: which (that)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम)

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; numeral adjective (संख्यावाचक विशेषण) qualifying bhāgaḥ

• bhāgaḥ: portion; part
• bhāgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• uddiṣṭaḥ: indicated; specified
• uddiṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-diś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त/क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with bhāgaḥ

• tāvat: so much; to that extent
• tāvat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• parimitaṃ: measured; limited
• parimitaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-mā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; used predicatively with tamaḥ

• tamaḥ: darkness; tamas (quality)
• tamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• rāśi-bhūte: when (it is) in an aggregated state
• rāśi-bhūte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (भू धातु + क्त)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; compound = rāśi-bhūta ‘become a mass/aggregate’; agrees with rajasi

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/also

• rajasi: in rajas
• rajasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• miśritaṃ: mixed
• miśritaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: miśr (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicative with (tamaḥ implied/understood)

• parikīrtitam: is proclaimed; is stated
• parikīrtitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-kīrt (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used impersonally: ‘is said/declared’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A minimal designated portion corresponds to tamas; even aggregated rajas is described as mixed—implying inseparability of guṇas in manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇas interpenetrate; tamas is not absent even where rajas seems dominant.

Application: Notice tamasic ‘drag’ (inertia, confusion) within busy activity; counter with structured routines and reflective pauses.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.26-27, 3.4.29-30 (mutual pervasion and ratios)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Tamas
• Rajas

FAQs

What is the importance of the three gunas (tamas and rajas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights how tamas can be quantified as a ‘portion’ and how rajas, even when dominant, can remain mixed with tamas—showing that moral and mental states are often compounded and influence karmic outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana terms?

By stressing mixture of gunas, it implies the departing being carries blended tendencies (vāsanās) that shape perception, choices, and the karmic trajectory described elsewhere in the Purana’s afterlife and rebirth teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Notice tamasic elements (inertia, confusion) even within active rajasic life, and reduce them through disciplined conduct, clarity-seeking study, and sattva-supporting habits so actions become cleaner and less karmically entangling.