Shloka 29

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

स्वभोगभार्यासत्यलोकादिभोगः स्वयोग्यभोगो वस्त्रमाल्यादिभोगः / एते हि सर्वे बहिरर्थसंज्ञकाः नैसर्गकामाः सर्वदा मे हि विष्णो

Transliteration

svabhogabhāryāsatyalokādibhogaḥ svayogyabhogo vastramālyādibhogaḥ / ete hi sarve bahirarthasaṃjñakāḥ naisargakāmāḥ sarvadā me hi viṣṇo

Translation

诸般享受，如自身之乐、妻室之乐，乃至在萨提亚洛迦等界的乐；与自身资质相称之乐；以及衣服、花鬘等乐——这一切皆名为“外境之物”。这些天生的欲望在我心中一再生起，噢，毗湿奴。

Word by Word

• स्व-भोग-भार्या-सत्यलोक-आदि-भोगः: enjoyment of (one's) pleasures, wife, Satyaloka, etc.
• स्व-भोग-भार्या-सत्यलोक-आदि-भोगः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्यलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative list: 'enjoyment of one's own pleasures, wife, Satyaloka, etc.')

• स्व-योग्य-भोगः: enjoyment suited to oneself
• स्व-योग्य-भोगः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'enjoyment suitable to oneself')

• वस्त्र-माल्य-आदि-भोगः: enjoyment of clothes, garlands, etc.
• वस्त्र-माल्य-आदि-भोगः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (enjoyment of clothes, garlands, etc.)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying एते)

• बहिः-अर्थ-संज्ञकाः: called 'external objects'
• बहिः-अर्थ-संज्ञकाः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'having the designation of external objects')

• नैसर्ग-कामाः: natural desires
• नैसर्ग-कामाः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'natural desires')

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय

• मे: of me/my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive) / चतुर्थी (dative) एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (of me)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• विष्णो: O Vishnu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All bhogas—domestic, social, and heavenly—are bahir-artha (external objects); desire recurs by nature and must be seen clearly and offered to Vishnu.

Vedantic Theme: Vishaya as anatman; samskara-driven kama; discrimination between transient enjoyments and nitya-ananda.

Application: When desire arises (for status, relationships, comforts, even ‘spiritual rewards’), name it as bahir-artha, then redirect the mind to Vishnu through japa or remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana thematic parallels on the insufficiency of svarga-bhoga and the superiority of Vishnu-bhakti (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Satyaloka

FAQs

What is the importance of external pleasures (bahirartha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse classifies pleasures—relationships, possessions, and even heavenly-loka enjoyments—as “external objects,” implying they are not the ultimate aim and must be seen as secondary to spiritual liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul and bondage?

By admitting that “natural desires” repeatedly arise, the verse highlights how craving sustains attachment and thus reinforces karmic continuity, which the Garuda Purana repeatedly contrasts with the liberating turn toward Vishnu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat comforts and status as temporary, practice restraint and charity, and redirect recurring desires into disciplined devotion and ethical living rather than constant consumption.