Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

सृष्टौ प्रलयकालेपि मिश्रावेव खगेश्वर / राशिभूतेपि रजसि रजोभागाच्छताधिकम्

Transliteration

sṛṣṭau pralayakālepi miśrāveva khageśvara / rāśibhūtepi rajasi rajobhāgācchatādhikam

Translation

噢，鸟中王（迦楼罗），在创世与毁灭之时，诸性德确实仍相杂；即使“罗阇斯”聚成一团，其罗阇斯之分亦超过百倍。

Word by Word

• सृष्टौ: in creation
• सृष्टौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन (locative sg)

• प्रलयकाले: at the time of dissolution
• प्रलयकाले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: प्रलयस्य कालः; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन (locative sg)

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

• मिश्राः: mixed
• मिश्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), बहुवचन; विशेषण (masc nom pl: mixed)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: खगानाम् ईश्वरः; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8 विभक्ति), एकवचन (vocative sg)

• राशिभूते: when (it is) in an aggregated form
• राशिभूते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राशि + भूत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव: राशिरिव/राशिरूपेण भूतः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; विशेषण (locative sg: when in the form of a mass)

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

• रजसि: in rajas
• रजसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन (locative sg)

• रजोभागात्: from a portion of rajas
• रजोभागात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रजसः भागः; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5 विभक्ति), एकवचन (ablative sg: from a portion of rajas)

• शताधिकम्: more than a hundred (times/parts)
• शताधिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (संख्यापूर्वक): शतेन अधिकम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg: more than a hundredfold)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In sṛṣṭi and pralaya the guṇas remain mutually mixed; rajas predominates by a large measure even when conceived as a ‘mass’.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-traya as prakṛti’s constitutive mixture; empirical states are never purely sattva/rajas/tamas.

Application: Use guṇa-analysis to interpret one’s mind: even ‘active’ phases (rajas) carry admixtures; cultivate discernment rather than absolutist self-judgment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.4.27-30 (continued guṇa-mixture ratios)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse emphasizes that the gunas remain intermingled across both creation (sṛṣṭi) and dissolution (pralaya), highlighting that material nature is never purely one quality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing to the dominance of rajas, the verse implies that restless activity and desire-driven tendencies can shape embodied experience, influencing the soul’s entanglement with material conditions discussed throughout the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe and reduce rajas (agitation, compulsive desire) through disciplined conduct, ethical living, and steady spiritual practice to cultivate clarity and balance.