Shloka 72

Mukti-tattva Upadeśa: Knowledge as the Direct Cause of Liberation

Devanagari script

वेदशास्त्रार्णवैर्घेरैरुह्यमाना इतस्ततः / षडूर्मिनिग्रहग्रस्तास्तिष्ठन्ति हि कुतार्किकाः

Transliteration

vedaśāstrārṇavairgherairuhyamānā itastataḥ / ṣaḍūrminigrahagrastāstiṣṭhanti hi kutārkikāḥ

Translation

ถูกกระแสอันน่าครั่นคร้ามแห่งมหาสมุทรพระเวทและศาสตราพัดพาไปมา เหล่านักตรรกะวิปริตย่อมติดค้างอยู่ ถูก “หกคลื่น” (ษัฏอูรมิ) กดรัดไว้.

Word by Word

वेदशास्त्रार्णवैःby the ocean(s) of Veda and śāstra

ईर्घेरैःdeep/immense

उह्यमानाःbeing carried (along)

इतस्from here

ततःfrom there / thither

षडूर्मिनिग्रहग्रस्ताःseized by the restraint of the six waves

तिष्ठन्तिstand / remain

हिindeed

कुतार्किकाःbad logicians / sophists

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Scriptural and scholastic learning can become a force of distraction when driven by kutarka (perverse logic); the six waves (hunger, thirst, sorrow, delusion, old age, death—common traditional set) keep one bound.

Vedantic Theme: Need for sāttvika buddhi and direct realization; śāstra as pramāṇa must be assimilated, not used for endless debate; saṃsāra-lakṣaṇa (ṣaḍ-ūrmi) as obstacles to steady knowledge.

Application: Shift from debate to disciplined contemplation; reduce compulsive information consumption; practice steadiness (śama-dama) and observe the six waves as passing states rather than identity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: metaphorical

Cross References

Related Themes: 2.49.71 well-of-darśanas metaphor; 2.49.73 crow-chatter learning; 2.49.74 day-night reading without turning to Supreme

Characters & Entities

Vedas

Shastras

Kutarkikas

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding kutarka (perverse logic) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that sophistry, even when quoting Veda and śāstra, leads to being swept about without stability; true understanding requires disciplined, dharmic interpretation rather than argumentative distortion.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or spiritual progress?

It implies that spiritual progress is hindered when one is dominated by the “six waves” of worldly agitation; without mastery over these afflictions, one cannot gain firm, liberating insight from scripture.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study sacred texts with humility and guidance, reduce compulsive debate, and cultivate self-restraint over the main worldly pressures (hunger/thirst, grief/delusion, old age/death) so scriptural learning becomes transformative rather than merely intellectual.