Shloka 33

An Exposition of the Distinctions of Creation, Inert Matter, and the Lord

Devanagari script

गरुड उवाच / रशिभूतेपि रजसि राशिभूते तमस्यपि / सत्त्वांशा ह्यधिकाः संतीत्येवमुक्तं मयानघ

Transliteration

garuḍa uvāca / raśibhūtepi rajasi rāśibhūte tamasyapi / sattvāṃśā hyadhikāḥ saṃtītyevamuktaṃ mayānagha

Translation

Garuḍa thưa: “Hỡi bậc vô tội, dù rajas tụ lại thành khối, và dù tamas cũng tụ lại thành khối, ta đã nói rằng các phần của sattva quả thật vẫn trội hơn.”

Word by Word

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राशि-भूते: in (that which is) in the form of a mass/aggregate
• राशि-भूते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु)
• Form: भूत (क्त) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘राशिभूत’ = ‘राशिरूपेण भूते’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• रजसि: in rajas
• रजसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• राशि-भूते: in (that which is) in the form of a mass
• राशि-भूते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु)
• Form: भूत (क्त) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तमसि: in tamas
• तमसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• सत्त्व-अंशाः: portions of sattva
• सत्त्व-अंशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘सत्त्वस्य अंशाः’)

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

• अधिकाः: greater/more
• अधिकाः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘सत्त्व-अंशाः’)

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Vakyartha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this manner
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, त्रितीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuḍa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even in aggregated rajas/tamas, sattva can be predominant—dominance differs from mere presence; guṇa-hierarchy matters.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva as the clarifying power that reveals; predominance of sattva enables knowledge and devotion even amid activity (rajas) or inertia (tamas).

Application: Cultivate sattva to become the ‘dominant’ guṇa: truthfulness, moderation, study, cleanliness, and devotional remembrance—so that rajas/tamas become subordinate.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.34 (Garuḍa’s doubt leading to rāśi/parts question)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa

FAQs

What is the importance of the three guṇas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that even amid strong rajas and tamas, sattva can remain predominant—implying inner clarity is central to right understanding and spiritual orientation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By stressing sattva’s predominance, it points to the quality of consciousness that supports discernment and steadiness—key factors that shape karmic direction and the soul’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva through truthful living, moderation, purity of habits, and study—so that clarity can guide action even when agitation (rajas) or dullness (tamas) is strong.