Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

रजसोपेक्षया सत्त्वं दशांशाधिकमेव च / प्रविष्टमस्तीति खग ज्ञातव्यं तच्छणु द्विज

Transliteration

rajasopekṣayā sattvaṃ daśāṃśādhikameva ca / praviṣṭamastīti khaga jñātavyaṃ tacchaṇu dvija

Translation

เมื่อเทียบกับรชัส สัตตวะย่อมแทรกเข้าไปมากกว่าอยู่หนึ่งในสิบ พึงรู้ดังนี้ โอ้พญาวิหค (ครุฑ); จงสดับเถิด โอ้ทวิช

Word by Word

• रजसः: of rajas
• रजसः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• उपेक्षया: by comparison (with), in relation to
• उपेक्षया: करण (तृतीया/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपेक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• सत्त्वम्: sattva
• सत्त्वम्: कर्म (द्वितीया/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular

• दशांशाधिकम्: greater by one-tenth
• दशांशाधिकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशांश + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with सत्त्वम्; तत्पुरुषः (दशांशेन अधिकम् = greater by one-tenth)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रविष्टम्: entered, has entered
• प्रविष्टम्: कर्मणि-भाव (Resultant state; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; PPP of √विश् ‘enter’

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-बोधक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ज्ञातव्यम्: should be known
• ज्ञातव्यम्: विधेय (Obligation/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known’

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: क्रिया (Imperative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sattva exceeds rajas by one-tenth in the stated comparative scheme; guṇas are discussed in proportional predominance.

Vedantic Theme: Relative predominance of guṇas explains experiential differences; sattva’s incremental superiority supports clarity and knowledge.

Application: Assess one’s mental state: if agitation (rajas) dominates, cultivate practices that incrementally increase sattva—clean diet, truthful speech, study, meditation, regulated sleep.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Immediate continuation in 3.4.69–70 (parallel proportional statements)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the importance of the guna ratio (sattva vs rajas) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that sattva is described as slightly predominant over rajas (by one-tenth), indicating that inner clarity and purity are decisive factors in the soul’s condition and spiritual orientation discussed in Preta Kanda contexts.

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

By stressing the relative presence of sattva and rajas, the verse implies that the soul’s post-death experience and tendencies are shaped by the predominance of these qualities, which influence perception, conduct, and readiness for higher states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva—truthfulness, compassion, moderation, and disciplined worship—so that clarity and steadiness outweigh restless rajas in daily choices.