Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तं च माया त्रिपुरमुच्यते / अत्रैवान्तर्गतं सर्वं शाश्वते नाद्वये पदे

Transliteration

jāgratsvapnasuṣuptaṃ ca māyā tripuramucyate / atraivāntargataṃ sarvaṃ śāśvate nādvaye pade

Translation

Tỉnh, mộng và ngủ sâu—Māyā ấy được gọi là “thành ba” (Tripura). Nhưng tất cả đều nằm trọn trong chính cảnh giới (pada) vĩnh cửu, bất nhị ấy.

Word by Word

• जाग्रत्: waking (state)
• जाग्रत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाग्रत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); समाहारार्थे अवस्थावाचक-नाम

• स्वप्न: dream (state)
• स्वप्न: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); अवस्थावाचक-नाम

• सुषुप्तम्: deep sleep (state)
• सुषुप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुषुप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); अवस्थावाचक-नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• माया: Māyā (illusion/power)
• माया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• त्रिपुरम्: the ‘three cities’ (tripura)
• त्रिपुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि पुराणि यस्य/यत्)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present, 3rd sg)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अन्तर्गतं: included/contained within
• अन्तर्गतं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गम् (धातु) → अन्तर्गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (past participle; neuter nom/acc sg)

• सर्वम्: all (everything)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• शाश्वते: in the eternal
• शाश्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular); पदे इति विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• अद्वये: non-dual
• अद्वये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular); पदे इति विशेषणम्

• पदे: in the state/abode
• पदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The three states (jagrat-svapna-sushupti) are Māyā/Tripura, all contained in the eternal non-dual state (advaya pada).

Vedantic Theme: Avasthā-traya-viveka leading to recognition of Turīya/Advaya; Māyā as superimposition within Brahman.

Application: Practice state-witnessing: observe waking/dream/sleep as objects of awareness; cultivate discrimination (viveka) toward the non-dual ground.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.236.5-8 (nirguna pada; entry of Ishvara; aham-brahmasmi; shravana-manana-nididhyasana)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Māyā
• Tripura
• Advaya-pada

FAQs

What is the importance of Tripura (threefold city) in this Garuda Purana verse?

Tripura here symbolizes the three experiential domains—waking, dream, and deep sleep—through which Māyā presents reality; the verse points beyond them to the non-dual ground that contains all three.

How does this verse explain liberation (moksha) in Garuda Purana terms?

It implies moksha as recognition of the ‘advaya pada’—the eternal non-dual state—within which the changing states (jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti) arise and subside without altering the Real.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate witness-awareness: observe waking, dream-like mental projections, and deep rest as changing states, and anchor practice (japa, meditation, dharma) in the steady recognition of the non-dual Self beyond them.