Shloka 20

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

ततः सप्त आकूत्यां रुचेर्यज्ञो ऽभ्यजायत / सुत्रामाद्यैः सुरगणैर्यष्ट्वा स्वायम्भुवान्तरे

Transliteration

tataḥ sapta ākūtyāṃ ruceryajño 'bhyajāyata / sutrāmādyaiḥ suragaṇairyaṣṭvā svāyambhuvāntare

Translation

ثمّ، في سِلْسلة السبعة، وُلِدَ يَجْنَ (Yajña) من آكوتي وروتشي؛ وفي مَنْوَنْتَرا سْڤايَمْبُهوَ أقامَ القُربانَ (اليَجْنَ) مع جموعِ الآلهة يتقدّمهم سُتْراما (إندرا).

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kāla (Time adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• सप्त: seven / (contextually) seventh
• सप्त: Qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; विशेषण (सप्तमः/सप्त-रूपेण) — पाठे 'सप्त' सम्भाव्यं 'सप्तमः' इति संदर्भतः

• आकूत्याम्: in/through Ākūti
• आकूत्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• रुचेः: of Ruci
• रुचेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• यज्ञः: Yajña (personified sacrifice)
• यज्ञः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्यजायत: was born/manifested
• अभ्यजायत: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सुत्रामाद्यैः: by Sutrāmā and others
• सुत्रामाद्यैः: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत्रामा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुत्रामा आदिः येषां ते)

• सुरगणैः: by the groups of gods
• सुरगणैः: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुराणां गणाः)

• यष्ट्वा: having performed sacrifice
• यष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); अर्थ: having sacrificed/worshipped

• स्वायम्भुवान्तरे: in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara
• स्वायम्भुवान्तरे: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वायम्भुव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वायम्भुवस्य अन्तरे)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yajña as cooperative sacred action aligning humans/devas and sustaining order; ritual as a form of dharma and offering.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as yajña (offering) purifies and supports sattva; action becomes non-binding when consecrated.

Application: Consecrate work as service; participate in community-benefiting acts; maintain gratitude and reciprocity with nature/society (yajña-bhāva).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic-ritual setting (yajña-vedi implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: ritual merit and yajña praised in dharma sections; devotion integrates with sacrificial ethos (recensional parallels)

Characters & Entities

• Ākūti
• Ruci
• Yajña
• Sutrāmā (Indra)
• Devas
• Svāyambhuva Manu

FAQs

What is the importance of Yajña in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Yajña as a divine manifestation born in a sacred lineage, highlighting sacrifice (yajña) as a foundational principle that sustains dharma and the cosmic order through the cooperation of the Devas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it frames yajña and dharmic action as part of the cosmic system that supports order and merit—background principles that later connect to karmic outcomes discussed in Garuda Purana’s afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat selfless duty, worship, and ethical giving as ‘yajña’—actions done in a spirit of offering—since such conduct aligns life with dharma and builds wholesome karma.