Shloka 1

Ruci and the Pitṛs: On Marriage, Debts (Ṛṇa), and Desireless Karma

Devanagari script

नाम स्पताशीतितमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / हरिर्मन्वन्तराण्याह ब्रह्मादिभ्यो हराय च / मार्कण्डेयः पितृस्तो त्रं क्रौञ्चुकिं प्राह तच्छृणु

Transliteration

nāma spatāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / harirmanvantarāṇyāha brahmādibhyo harāya ca / mārkaṇḍeyaḥ pitṛsto traṃ krauñcukiṃ prāha tacchṛṇu

Translation

قال سوتا (Sūta): «يُسمّى هذا الفصل الثامن والثمانين. لقد علّم هاري (Hari) عصورَ المانو (Manvantara) لبراهما (Brahmā) ولسائر الحكماء، وكذلك لهارا (Hara/Śiva). وقد تلا ماركاندييا (Mārkaṇḍeya) لكراونتشوكي (Krauñcuki) ترنيمةَ التسبيح للآباء الأسلاف (Pitṛs)—فاستمع إليها.»

Word by Word

• नाम: (called)
• नाम: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देश (particle: 'named/called')

• अष्टाशीतितमः: eighty-eighth
• अष्टाशीतितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टाशीति + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्वन्तराणि: Manvantaras (cosmic periods)
• मन्वन्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• आह: told/said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; आह इति लिट्-रूपम्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• ब्रह्मादिभ्यः: to Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादिभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), बहुवचन

• हराय: to Hara (Śiva)
• हराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितृस्तोत्रम्: hymn to the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितृस्तोत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रौञ्चुकिम्: Krauñcuki (name/person)
• क्रौञ्चुकिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्चुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said/told
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु; प्राह इति लिट्-रूपम्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Paramparā: Hari teaches manvantaras to Brahmā and sages (and Hara); Markandeya transmits a Pitṛ hymn to Krauñcuki—scripture as received and handed down.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra as apauruṣeya/authoritative through lineage; devotion expressed as attentive śravaṇa (listening) and remembrance.

Application: Honor learning lineages; approach teachings with śraddhā and attentive listening; integrate Pitṛ-smaraṇa as part of devotional life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.88 (chapter opening; Pitṛ-stotra to follow)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmā
• Hara (Shiva)
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Pitṛs
• Krauñcuki

FAQs

What is the importance of Manvantaras in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the topic as a teaching of Hari, framing Manvantaras as authoritative cosmic time-cycles that structure dharma, creation, and the succession of Manus.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by introducing a Pitṛ-stotra (hymn to ancestors), it signals the text’s concern with ancestral realms and rites that support the departed—key themes in the Garuda Purana’s after-death framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages respect for scriptural transmission and highlights the value of Pitṛ-related practices (e.g., śrāddha and remembrance of ancestors) as part of living dharma.