Shloka 32

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

शतजन्मनि ब्रह्मत्वं याति पश्चाद्धरेः पदम् / चत्वारिंशद्ब्रह्मकल्पं समारभ्य खगेश्वर

Transliteration

śatajanmani brahmatvaṃ yāti paścāddhareḥ padam / catvāriṃśadbrahmakalpaṃ samārabhya khageśvara

Translation

يا خَغِيشْوَرا، يا سيّد الطير، بعد مئة ولادة يُنال مقام براهما؛ ثم بعد ذلك، ابتداءً من مُدّة أربعين كَلْبَةً من كَلْبَات براهما، يُبلَغ المسكن الأسمى لهاري (فيشنو).

Word by Word

• शत-जन्मनि: in (the span of) a hundred births
• शत-जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शतस्य जन्म’ (hundred births) locative of time

• ब्रह्म-त्वम्: Brahmā-hood; the state of being Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भाववाचक तद्धितान्त

• याति: attains
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• पदम्: abode; state; position
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• चत्वारिंशत्-ब्रह्म-कल्पम्: (for) forty Brahmā-kalpas
• चत्वारिंशत्-ब्रह्म-कल्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (संख्याशब्द) + ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्या-पूर्वक तत्पुरुषः—‘चत्वारिंशत् ब्रह्मकल्पाः’ (forty Brahmā-kalpas) as duration/extent (accusative of measure)

• समारभ्य: starting from; having commenced
• समारभ्य: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-रभ् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययीभाव/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having begun/starting from’

• खग-ईश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuḍa)
• खग-ईश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘खगानाम् ईश्वरः’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even Brahmā-status is a stage; ultimate goal is Hari’s supreme abode attained after vast cycles—implying supremacy of Viṣṇu’s paramapada over created offices.

Vedantic Theme: Distinction between highest created post (Brahmā) and transcendental refuge (Hari-pada); teleology toward paramam padam.

Application: Orient aspiration toward the ultimate (Hari’s refuge) rather than interim attainments; sustain devotion and right conduct over long horizons.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: supreme abode (parama-dhāma)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vaikuṇṭha/Viṣṇu-bhakti passages (thematic); Garuda Purana: cosmological time (kalpa) discussions (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Brahma
• Garuda (Khageshvara)

FAQs

What is the importance of attaining Hari’s padam (abode) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Hari’s abode as the supreme spiritual destination, higher than even Brahmā-status, indicating the culmination of long spiritual maturation over many births and cosmic cycles.

How does this verse describe spiritual progress across births and cosmic time?

It presents a graded ascent: first, attainment of Brahmā-like status after many births, and then—over vast stretches measured in Brahmā-kalpas—arrival at Hari’s supreme realm, emphasizing the Purana’s cosmic-scale view of spiritual evolution.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Live with sustained devotion (bhakti), ethical discipline (dharma), and long-term spiritual effort, remembering that the tradition frames liberation as the fruit of consistent practice rather than quick attainment.