Shloka 18

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

पञ्चमः कपिलो नाम सिद्धेशः कालविप्लुतम् / प्रोवाच सूरये साङ्ख्यं तत्त्वग्रामवि निर्णयम्

Transliteration

pañcamaḥ kapilo nāma siddheśaḥ kālaviplutam / provāca sūraye sāṅkhyaṃ tattvagrāmavi nirṇayam

Translation

Ang ikalima ay ang Panginoon ng mga Siddha na nagngangalang Kapila; nang ang panahon ay nagdulot ng kaguluhan, itinuro niya kay Sūrya ang aral ng Sāṅkhya—ang tumpak na paglalatag ng kalipunan ng mga tattva, ang mga prinsipyo ng katotohanan.

Word by Word

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ordinal)

• कपिलः: Kapila
• कपिलः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Qualifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (नाम-शब्दः, 'by name')

• सिद्धेशः: lord of the perfected ones
• सिद्धेशः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सिद्धानाम् ईशः)

• कालविप्लुतम्: overwhelmed/obscured by time
• कालविप्लुतम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्लुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कालेन विप्लुतम्)

• प्रोवाच: told/expounded
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूरये: to the sage Sūri
• सूरये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• साङ्ख्यम्: Sāṅkhya (doctrine)
• साङ्ख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साङ्ख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्त्वग्रामविनिर्णयम्: the decisive analysis of the collection of principles
• तत्त्वग्रामविनिर्णयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + विनिर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (तत्त्वानां ग्रामस्य विनिर्णयः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sāṅkhya’s tattva-viniścaya—discriminative enumeration clarifying principles to restore clarity amid confusion.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) between puruṣa and prakṛti as a pathway to freedom; knowledge as antidote to temporal upheaval.

Application: Study foundational categories (mind, senses, guṇas), observe their operations, and cultivate detachment through discernment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: jñāna and tattva-vicāra praised as liberating supports alongside bhakti (recensional parallels)

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Surya

FAQs

What is the importance of Sāṅkhya (tattva analysis) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Sāṅkhya as a definitive method for determining the tattvas (fundamental principles), grounding later teachings on the self, bondage, and liberation in a clear metaphysical map.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing to Kapila’s ‘tattva-grāma’ analysis, it indicates that understanding the distinction between principles (like prakṛti and puruṣa) is foundational for discerning the soul’s true nature beyond time-bound upheavals.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study and reflect on the tattvas—what is changing vs. the witnessing self—so daily decisions become less reactive to ‘kāla-viplava’ (life’s disruptions) and more aligned with discernment and dharma.