Shloka 6

Ahaṅkāra-Tripartition and the Rise of Indriyas, Devatās, and Cosmic Administrators

Devanagari script

वैकारिकस्तामसश्च तैजसश्चेत्यहं त्रिधा / त्रिधा बभूव रुद्रोपि यतस्तेषां नियामकः

Transliteration

vaikārikastāmasaśca taijasaścetyahaṃ tridhā / tridhā babhūva rudropi yatasteṣāṃ niyāmakaḥ

Translation

ข้าพเจ้า (หลักอหังตัตตวะ) แปรเป็นสามคือ ไวการีกะ ทามสะ และไตชสะ; และพระรุทระก็เป็นสามด้วย เพราะทรงเป็นผู้กำกับควบคุมทั้งสามภาวะ

Word by Word

• vaikārikaḥ: sāttvika/vaikārika (mode)
• vaikārikaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaikārika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• tāmasaḥ: tāmasa (mode)
• tāmasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• taijasaḥ: taijasa (mode)
• taijasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: taijasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग अव्यय (quotative particle)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: in three ways)

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-प्रयोग अव्यय (also/even)

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक अव्यय (causal: because/from which)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• niyāmakaḥ: controller/regulator
• niyāmakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyāmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ahaṅkāra is threefold—vaikārika (sāttvika), taijasa (rājasa), tāmasa; Rudra as niyāmaka (regulator) also manifests correspondingly.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-vyavasthā and devatā-adhikāra: functional deities preside over and regulate evolutes of prakṛti while the Self remains distinct.

Application: Diagnose one’s ego-patterns through the lens of guṇas (clarity/drive/inertia) and cultivate sāttvika refinement to reduce tamasic/rajasic reactivity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sarga passages on tri-guṇa ahaṅkāra and devatā presiders (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

What is the importance of the three gunas (vaikārika, taijasa, tāmasa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames reality and experience as governed by three fundamental qualities; understanding them helps explain how karma, tendencies, and spiritual progress arise from differing inner dispositions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in relation to the gunas?

By stating that the governing principles become threefold, it implies the soul’s embodied journey is shaped by sāttvika, rājasic, and tāmasic conditioning—affecting choices, karma, and readiness for liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate the vaikārika (sāttvika) quality through truthful living, restraint, and devotional practice, while reducing taijasa restlessness and tāmasa inertia to make ethical action and spiritual clarity easier.