Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तेजश्च वायुना नास्ति वायुः खेन विना न हि / यद्ब्रह्मणा च खं नास्ति शुद्ध ब्रह्म विना च खम्

Transliteration

tejaśca vāyunā nāsti vāyuḥ khena vinā na hi / yadbrahmaṇā ca khaṃ nāsti śuddha brahma vinā ca kham

Translation

Ang apoy (tejas) ay hindi umiiral kung wala ang hangin; at ang hangin ay hindi umiiral kung wala ang kalawakan (ākāśa). At kung ang kalawakan ay hindi umiiral na hiwalay sa Brahman, kung gayon ang kalawakan ay hindi rin tunay na hiwalay sa Dalisay na Brahman.

Word by Word

• tejaḥ: fire/tejas
• tejaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• vāyunā: by/with air
• vāyunā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• nāsti: does not exist
• nāsti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; निषेधार्थ

• vāyuḥ: air
• vāyuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• khena: by/with space (ether)
• khena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (विना)
• Form: अव्यय; 'without'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• yat: which/that
• yat: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• brahmaṇā: by/with Brahman
• brahmaṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• kham: space (ether)
• kham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• nāsti: does not exist
• nāsti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; निषेधार्थ

• śuddha: pure
• śuddha: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (शुध् धातु; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणार्थ

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (विना)
• Form: अव्यय; 'without'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• kham: space (ether)
• kham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Elemental dependence culminates in ākāśa’s dependence on Brahman; therefore even the subtlest element is not independent of Pure Brahman.

Vedantic Theme: Adhiṣṭhāna (substratum) doctrine: Brahman as the ultimate support; progressive negation of independent reality of elements.

Application: Use the ‘support-chain’ meditation: observe breath (vāyu), warmth (tejas), and inner space (ākāśa) and trace them back to awareness as the final support.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.239.22–23 (state-transcendence and mahāvākya-style non-duality)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Tejas
• Vayu
• Kha (Akasha)

FAQs

What is the importance of the five elements (pancha-bhuta) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights the chain of dependence among elements (fire depends on air, air on space) and culminates in their ultimate dependence on Brahman, framing the elements as subordinate to the highest reality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By teaching that even subtle elements like space are not independent of Pure Brahman, it points the seeker beyond elemental and bodily identifications—supporting the Garuda Purana’s broader aim of understanding the self as distinct from perishable constituents.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a contemplation: reduce attachment to bodily and material identities by reflecting that all elemental experiences are contingent, while the ultimate ground (Brahman) is the stable reference for spiritual practice and ethical living.