Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

अनाद्यविद्योपहता यथाग्नौ विस्फुलिङ्गकाः / देहाद्युपाधिसम्भिन्नास्ते कर्मभिरनादिभिः

Transliteration

anādyavidyopahatā yathāgnau visphuliṅgakāḥ / dehādyupādhisambhinnāste karmabhiranādibhiḥ

Translation

เหล่าสัตว์ผู้ถูกอวิทยาอันไร้ต้นกำเนิดครอบงำ เปรียบดังประกายไฟในกองเพลิง; ด้วยอุปาธิ เช่น กาย เป็นต้น จึงปรากฏแตกต่างกัน ทั้งนี้เพราะกรรมอันไร้ต้นกำเนิด

Word by Word

• anādi-avidyā-upahatāḥ: afflicted by beginningless ignorance
• anādi-avidyā-upahatāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anādi (प्रातिपदिक) + avidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + upahata (कृदन्त, √han उपहन्)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; past participle (क्त/कृत्) upahata; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; comparative particle (उपमा-प्रयोग)

• agnau: in fire
• agnau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• visphuliṅgakāḥ: sparks
• visphuliṅgakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: visphuliṅgaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• deha-ādi-upādhi-sambhinnāḥ: differentiated by limiting adjuncts like the body
• deha-ādi-upādhi-sambhinnāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + upādhi (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhinna (कृदन्त, √bhid सम्+भिद्)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; past participle (क्त) sambhinna; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); pronoun

• karmabhiḥ: by actions (karmas)
• karmabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• anādibhiḥ: beginningless
• anādibhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with karmabhiḥ

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beginningless ignorance veils the truth; through body and other upādhis, jīvas appear differentiated, propelled by beginningless karma.

Vedantic Theme: anādi avidyā and upādhi; apparent plurality; karma as causal chain sustaining embodiment.

Application: Practice viveka (discrimination) between self and body-mind; reduce karmic momentum via ethical living, devotion, and inquiry into the nature of ignorance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: explanations of bondage and the need for knowledge/devotion to cut avidyā and karma

Characters & Entities

• Jiva (individual soul)

FAQs

What is the importance of anādi avidyā (beginningless ignorance) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bondage is sustained by beginningless ignorance, which makes the jīva identify with upādhis like the body, thereby perpetuating karmic continuity.

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

By explaining that the jīva is differentiated by body-like upādhis through karma, it implies that after death the subtle identity shaped by karma continues and leads the being toward further experiences and rebirth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce karmic bondage by cultivating discernment and ethical living—lessening ignorance-driven identification with the body and acting with responsibility to avoid creating further binding karma.