Shloka 73

Devanagari script

वेदागमपुराणज्ञः परमार्थं न वेत्ति यः / विडम्बकस्य तस्यैव तत्सर्वं काकभाषितम्

Transliteration

vedāgamapurāṇajñaḥ paramārthaṃ na vetti yaḥ / viḍambakasya tasyaiva tatsarvaṃ kākabhāṣitam

Translation

Dẫu có thông suốt Veda, Āgama và Purāṇa, nhưng nếu không biết chân nghĩa tối thượng, thì đối với kẻ chỉ giả danh ấy, mọi học vấn kia chẳng khác nào tiếng quạ kêu—lời nói của quạ mà thôi.

Word by Word

• वेदागमपुराणज्ञः: knower of Veda, Āgama, and Purāṇa
• वेदागमपुराणज्ञः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + आगम + पुराण + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; समासः—वेदागमपुराणानां ज्ञः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• परमार्थम्: the highest truth
• परमार्थम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—परमः अर्थः

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

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• विडम्बकस्य: of the pretender/mocker
• विडम्बकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विडम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन

• काकभाषितम्: crow-talk; meaningless chatter
• काकभाषितम्: प्रधानेन विधेय (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक + भाषित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; समासः—काकस्य भाषितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Scriptural mastery without realization of the highest truth is empty display (viḍambaka); words become meaningless noise.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-jñāna vs aparokṣa-jñāna; condemnation of ahaṅkāra in learning; necessity of tattva-darśana to make study fruitful.

Application: Audit one’s motives in study/teaching; pair learning with humility, practice, and inner change; seek guidance that leads to direct insight rather than reputation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Cross References

Related Themes: 2.49.70 asserts tattva-jñāna as direct cause; 2.49.74 describes incessant reading while turned away from Supreme

Characters & Entities

• Vedas
• Agamas
• Puranas

FAQs

What is the importance of paramārtha (highest truth) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that scriptural learning has real value only when it leads to paramārtha—direct understanding of the highest truth—otherwise it becomes empty display.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on death and afterlife?

In the Preta Kanda context, the text repeatedly stresses that rites and recitations must be joined with right understanding and dharma; otherwise, they do not mature into liberating wisdom for the soul’s journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study scriptures with humility and apply them through truthful conduct, compassion, and self-inquiry—so learning becomes transformation rather than performance.