Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

इदानीं गुणवैषम्यं शृणु सम्यङ् मम प्रिय / सृष्टिकाले तु संप्राप्ते यत्पूर्वं प्रलये खग

Transliteration

idānīṃ guṇavaiṣamyaṃ śṛṇu samyaṅ mama priya / sṛṣṭikāle tu saṃprāpte yatpūrvaṃ pralaye khaga

Translation

Giờ đây, người yêu dấu của Ta, hãy lắng nghe kỹ về sự bất quân bình của các guṇa. Khi thời kỳ sáng tạo đến, hỡi chim thần, điều đã có trước trong pralaya lại hiển lộ trở lại.

Word by Word

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• गुणवैषम्यम्: the inequality/imbalance of the guṇas
• गुणवैषम्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणवैषम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—गुण + वैषम्य (तत्पुरुष)

• शृणु: hear/listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• सृष्टिकाले: at the time of creation
• सृष्टिकाले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टिकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—सृष्टि + काल (तत्पुरुष)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) had arrived/occurred
• संप्राप्ते: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘संप्राप्त’; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सृष्टिकाले इति विशेषणम्

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• पूर्वम्: formerly/before
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्राय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverbial accusative usage)

• प्रलये: in dissolution (pralaya)
• प्रलये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vaiṣamya (inequality/imbalance) of guṇas initiates manifestation; creation re-expresses what was latent in pralaya.

Vedantic Theme: From causal latency to effectual plurality; cyclic recurrence (punar-āvṛtti) of cosmic processes under īśvara’s governance.

Application: Notice how imbalance of guṇas in one’s mind triggers ‘creation’ of thoughts and reactions; restore balance through sattvic disciplines.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: 3.4.47–48 (sāmya/vimiśra at pralaya); 3.4.50 (quantification of mixtures)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of guṇa-vaiṣamya (inequality of the guṇas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames creation as beginning with a renewed imbalance of sattva, rajas, and tamas, which becomes the causal condition for differentiation and manifestation after pralaya.

How does this verse explain the cycle of pralaya and sṛṣṭi?

It states that when creation-time arrives, what lay in a prior dissolved state (pralaya) re-emerges—implying continuity of the cosmic cycle rather than a one-time creation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recognize that inner imbalance of qualities drives outward change; cultivating sattva through discipline, truthfulness, and restraint helps align one’s life with dharmic order.