Shloka 50

Means to Liberation: Supremacy of Hari, Proper Salutations, and Purāṇic Authority

Devanagari script

तृतीयांशश्रवणादर्थतश्च पुण्यं चाहुः पठतो वै दशांशम् / ततो वरं मत्स्यपुराणमाहुस्ततो वरं कूर्मपूराणमाहुः

Transliteration

tṛtīyāṃśaśravaṇādarthataśca puṇyaṃ cāhuḥ paṭhato vai daśāṃśam / tato varaṃ matsyapurāṇamāhustato varaṃ kūrmapūrāṇamāhuḥ

Translation

يقولون إن سماع ثلثه ولو مع فهم معناه يورث ثوابًا، وأما من يتلوه فإنما ينال حقًّا عُشر ذلك الثواب. ومع ذلك يعلنون أن «ماتسيا بورانا» أسمى، وأن «كورما بورانا» أسمى منه أيضًا.

Word by Word

• तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्: from hearing the third part
• तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• अर्थतः: as to the meaning; essentially
• अर्थतः: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्थतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb) ‘in terms of meaning/essentially’

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• पठतः: of one who reads
• पठतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठ् (धातु) → पठत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) used substantively; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• दश-अंशम्: a tenth portion
• दश-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु ‘a tenth part’

• ततः: than that; thereafter
• ततः: Comparison point (तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘thereafter/than that’

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; comparative sense ‘better’

• मत्स्य-पुराणम्: the Matsya Purāṇa
• मत्स्य-पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘Matsya Purāṇa’

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ततः: than that
• ततः: Comparison point (तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कूर्म-पुराणम्: the Kūrma Purāṇa
• कूर्म-पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘Kūrma Purāṇa’

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa with artha-bodha and pāṭha generate puṇya; scriptures are graded by guṇa-oriented efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva as a purifier of antaḥkaraṇa; śravaṇa–manana as preparatory means (sādhana) supporting bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Prioritize listening with comprehension; maintain a disciplined recitation practice; choose texts that increase sattva and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.51-54 (guṇa-based Purāṇa classification and mumuṣu guidance)

Characters & Entities

• Matsya Purana
• Kurma Purana

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing (śravaṇa) a Purāṇa according to this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse states that hearing even a portion—especially with understanding—produces spiritual merit (puṇya), emphasizing attentive listening as a valid means of gaining benefit.

How does this verse compare recitation (pāṭha) and listening (śravaṇa) in terms of merit?

It distinguishes forms of engagement: hearing a significant portion with meaning is praised for merit, while recitation is also meritorious but described here as yielding a specified fractional result (daśāṁśa, “one-tenth”).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize meaningful listening and comprehension during scripture readings or Purāṇa discourses, and complement it with regular recitation—focusing on understanding rather than mere performance.