Shloka 23

Atma-Jnana as the Direct Means to Moksha: Advaita, Maya, and the Three States

Devanagari script

अहं ब्रह्म परं तत्त्वं ज्ञात्वा त्वखिलविद्भवेत् / यथैकमृन्मये ज्ञाते सर्वमेतच्चराचरम्

Transliteration

ahaṃ brahma paraṃ tattvaṃ jñātvā tvakhilavidbhavet / yathaikamṛnmaye jñāte sarvametaccarācaram

Translation

مجھے پرم برہمن—اعلیٰ حقیقت—جان لینے سے انسان ہمہ دان ہو جاتا ہے۔ جیسے مٹی کے ایک ڈھیلے کو جان لینے سے مٹی کی بنی ہر چیز سمجھ میں آ جاتی ہے، ویسے ہی یہ سارا چلتا پھرتا اور ساکن جہان جان لیا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समानााधिकरणे

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्त्वम्: reality/principle
• तत्त्वम्: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having known’

• त्वकिलविद्: you, the knower of all
• त्वकिलविद्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वम् + अखिल-विद् (प्रातिपदिक: अखिल + विद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘त्व’ (त्वम्) संबोधन/प्रथमा-रूपेण + तत्पुरुष (अखिलं वेत्ति इति)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Connector (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी? (न) / द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मृन्मये: in the clay-made (object)
• मृन्मये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृन्-मय (प्रातिपदिक: मृद् + मय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मृदा मयः = made of clay)

• ज्ञाते: when (it is) known
• ज्ञाते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञात (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘when known’

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving (the whole world)
• चराचरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर-अचर (प्रातिपदिक: चर + अचर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (चरं च अचरं च)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: By realizing the supreme principle (Brahman), one gains ‘knowledge of all’ in the sense of knowing the underlying cause/substance of all names and forms—like knowing clay reveals all clay-forms.

Vedantic Theme: Kāraṇa-kārya (cause-effect) non-difference; nāma-rūpa as dependent appearances; ekavijñānena sarvavijñāna (knowing one, knowing all).

Application: Study and contemplate the cause-substance relation in daily life (materials and their forms) to internalize non-duality; reduce fragmentation by seeking the underlying unity in diverse experiences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: jñāna passages using analogies to teach non-duality and the ground of the universe; Garuda Purana: statements on Brahman-knowledge as culminating knowledge

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the importance of knowing Brahman in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that realizing the Supreme Reality (Brahman) grants comprehensive understanding, because all names and forms are expressions of that one underlying truth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies liberation through knowledge: when the soul recognizes the Supreme as its ultimate ground, worldly multiplicity (moving and unmoving) is seen as dependent on one Reality, reducing ignorance that binds the jiva.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate self-inquiry and disciplined study/meditation to see unity behind changing experiences—supporting calmer ethics, less attachment, and clearer spiritual priorities.