Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

गरुड उवाच / महत्तत्त्वस्य चत्वारो भागास्तेषु रजस्त्रयः / तमसस्त्वेक एवेति त्वयोक्तं गरुडध्वज

Transliteration

garuḍa uvāca / mahattattvasya catvāro bhāgāsteṣu rajastrayaḥ / tamasastveka eveti tvayoktaṃ garuḍadhvaja

Translation

ครุฑกล่าวว่า “โอ้ผู้ทรงธงครุฑ ท่านได้กล่าวว่า ตัตตวะแห่งมหัตมีสี่ส่วน ในบรรดานั้นสามเป็นรชัส และมีเพียงหนึ่งเป็นตมัส”

Word by Word

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• महत्-तत्त्वस्य: of the Mahat-tattva
• महत्-तत्त्वस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महत् तत्त्वम्)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• भागाः: parts
• भागाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• तेषु: among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); बहुवचन

• रजः-त्रयः: a triad of rajas (three parts are rajas)
• रजः-त्रयः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रजसः त्रयः/त्रयाणि)

• तमसः: of tamas
• तमसः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• उक्तम्: said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; वाक्ये विधेय (predicate: 'has been said')

• गरुड-ध्वज: O Garuḍa-bannered one (Viṣṇu)
• गरुड-ध्वज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गरुडः ध्वजः यस्य)

Speaker

Garuḍa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mahat-tattva is described as fourfold in parts, with rajas as three parts and tamas as one—Garuḍa confirms the stated ratio.

Vedantic Theme: Cosmic intellect (mahat) as an evolute within prakṛti; guṇa-proportions condition functions of cosmic principles.

Application: Adopt śravaṇa–manana: restate teachings to confirm comprehension; apply structured thinking to subtle topics rather than vague belief.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.61; Garuda Purana 3.4.62; Garuda Purana 3.4.63; Garuda Purana 3.4.65

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Viṣṇu (Garuḍadhvaja)

FAQs

What is the importance of Mahat-tattva in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Mahat as a key cosmological principle whose internal composition is analyzed through the guṇas, showing how creation is understood via subtle constituents.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by grounding the discussion in guṇa-based metaphysics, it frames how embodied experience and subtle processes are influenced by rajas and tamas—background concepts used elsewhere in the Purāṇa’s teachings on life, death, and transmigration.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to observe which guṇa dominates your mind—reducing tamas (inertia) and balancing rajas (restlessness) supports clarity, discipline, and steadier spiritual practice.