Shloka 54

Gradations of Bliss and Knowledge; Lakṣmī’s Special Insight; The Rarity of Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Nīlā’s Vow and Śrīnivāsa Darśana

अनाद्यनन्तेष्वपि जन्मसु प्रभो विचार्यमाणा न विजानेप्यहं च / एतै हि सर्वे च निमित्तमात्रतः पित्रादयस्त्वं ह्यनिमित्तमात्रतः

anādyananteṣvapi janmasu prabho vicāryamāṇā na vijānepyahaṃ ca / etai hi sarve ca nimittamātrataḥ pitrādayastvaṃ hyanimittamātrataḥ

Ôi Chúa Tể, dẫu con suy niệm qua vô lượng kiếp sinh tử không khởi đầu cũng không cùng tận, con vẫn chẳng thể thật sự hiểu thấu Ngài. Vì cha mẹ và mọi thứ khác chỉ là nhân duyên làm phương tiện; còn chỉ riêng Ngài là Nhân tối hậu, không nương tựa bất cứ phương tiện nào.

अनादि-अनन्तेषुin beginningless and endless
अनादि-अनन्तेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; समासः (द्वन्द्व): ‘अनादिषु च अनन्तेषु च’ (in beginningless and endless...)
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, अप्यर्थक/सम्भावनार्थक निपात (particle: even/also)
जन्मसुin births
जन्मसु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन
प्रभोO Lord
प्रभो:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
विचार्यमाणाreflecting/being considered
विचार्यमाणा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-चर् (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपदी कृदन्त: शानच् (Present participle, middle/passive sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘being considered/reflecting’
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)
विजानेI know
विजाने:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-ज्ञा (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, अप्यर्थक निपात (even)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, प्रथमा, एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक
एतैःby these
एतैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन
हिindeed/for
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed/for)
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक
निमित्त-मात्रतःmerely as instrumental causes
निमित्त-मात्रतः:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनिमित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतद्धितान्त अव्यय: -तस् (ablatival adverb), ‘only as a cause/occasion’; समासः (तत्पुरुष): निमित्तस्य मात्रम्
पितृ-आदयःfather and others
पितृ-आदयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘पिता आदिः येषाम्’ (father and others)
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, मध्यमपुरुष, प्रथमा, एकवचन
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed)
अनिमित्त-मात्रतःas the causeless (one) alone
अनिमित्त-मात्रतः:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअ-निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतद्धितान्त अव्यय: -तस्; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘निमित्तं न’ इति; ‘from (the standpoint of) being only without cause’

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Concept: Distinction between instrumental causes (nimitta-mātra) like parents and the Lord as the ultimate, non-dependent cause (animiitta/independent cause).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as jagat-kāraṇa (ultimate cause) beyond beginningless saṁsāra; limitation of intellect across births in grasping Brahman/Īśvara fully.

Application: Practice humility in inquiry; use causality contemplation to shift reliance from contingent supports to the ultimate source; integrate jñāna with bhakti.

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.19.53 (exclusive refuge); Garuda Purana 3.19.55 (vow oriented to the Lord)

V
Vishnu
P
Pitris

FAQs

This verse stresses that worldly relations like father, family, and other conditions function only as instruments, while the Supreme is independent and ultimate—guiding the seeker to rely on divine reality rather than temporary causes.

By admitting that even across countless births one may fail to know the Supreme, the verse highlights the depth of saṃsāra and points to devotion and right knowledge as the way to transcend mere worldly causation.

Honor family and duties, but remember they are not the final support; cultivate daily remembrance, ethical living, and spiritual study so life is oriented toward the independent Supreme rather than only worldly dependencies.