Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ऊर्जायां तु वसिष्टस्य सप्ताजायन्त वै सुताः / रजोगात्रोर्धबाहुश्च शरणश्चानघस्तथा

Transliteration

ūrjāyāṃ tu vasiṣṭasya saptājāyanta vai sutāḥ / rajogātrordhabāhuśca śaraṇaścānaghastathā

Translation

ومن أُورجا حقًّا وُلد لڤاسيشثا سبعةُ أبناء: راجوغاترا، وأوردهاباهو، وشارَنا، وكذلك أناغا، في جملتهم.

Word by Word

• ऊर्जायाम्: in/through Ūrjā (name of a wife)
• ऊर्जायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; locative (in/through Ūrjā)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/particle

• वसिष्ठस्य: of Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; genitive

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; here used as numeral adjective (indeclinable in form) qualifying sutāḥ

• अजायन्त: were born
• अजायन्त: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (अजायन्त)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• रजोगात्रः: Rajogātra (name)
• रजोगात्रः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (नाम/Apposition listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas + gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रजः-गात्रः = whose body is of dust/rajas); proper name of a son

• ऊर्धबाहुः: Ūrdhabāhu (name)
• ऊर्धबाहुः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (नाम/Apposition listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrdhva + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (ऊर्धः बाहुः) ; proper name

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक conjunction

• शरणः: Śaraṇa (name)
• शरणः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (नाम/Apposition listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; proper name

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक conjunction

• अनघः: Anagha (name)
• अनघः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (नाम/Apposition listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anagha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; proper name (also adjective 'sinless')

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Samuccaya/Discourse
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) / also 'and likewise'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transmission of dharma through ṛṣi-kula: names encode qualities and roles within sacred order.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa and svabhāva appear in names/forms while the underlying reality remains one; order (ṛta) expresses through differentiated beings.

Application: Reflect on how character (guṇa) shapes conduct; cultivate 'anagha' (blamelessness) as an ethical ideal.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.5.14–1.5.18 (Vasiṣṭha-related genealogical listing continues)

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Ūrjā
• Rajogātra
• Urdhabāhu
• Śaraṇa
• Anagha

FAQs

What is the importance of rishi genealogies in the Garuda Purana?

They preserve the transmission-lines of dharma, mantra, and sacred knowledge by recording how major sages’ families and discipleships continued across generations.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

This specific verse does not discuss the afterlife; it situates the narrative in sacred history by naming Vasiṣṭha’s progeny, a common Purāṇic method of grounding later teachings in authoritative lineages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages respect for teacher–student lineages and careful preservation of textual traditions—study, accurate recitation, and documentation of sources.