Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

अशीतिह्यष्टका प्रोक्ता अष्टपञ्च खगेश्वर / चत्वारिंशद्ब्रह्मकल्प एवं प्राह चतुर्मुखः

Transliteration

aśītihyaṣṭakā proktā aṣṭapañca khageśvara / catvāriṃśadbrahmakalpa evaṃ prāha caturmukhaḥ

Translation

يا ربَّ الطير (غارودا)، قد أُعلن أن وحدات تُسمّى «أشتكا» هي ثمانٍ وثمانون، وقيل أيضًا خمسٌ وثمانون؛ وأن «كالبات براهما» أربعون—هكذا تكلّم براهما ذو الوجوه الأربعة.

Word by Word

• अशीतिः: eighty
• अशीतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशीतिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed)

• अष्टकाः: groups of eight/eightfold sets
• अष्टकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रोक्ताः: are declared/said
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच्/वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण, अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिक-रूप; (समास/गणना-प्रयोग)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण, अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिक-रूप; (समास/गणना-प्रयोग)

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (खगानाम् ईश्वरः)

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)

• ब्रह्मकल्पाः: Brahmā-kalpas
• ब्रह्मकल्पाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः कल्पाः)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्राह: said/declared
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• चतुर्मुखः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (चत्वारि मुखानि यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda, citing Brahma)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purāṇic cosmology uses multiple counting schemes (aṣṭakā, kalpa) transmitted by Brahmā; numbers may be pedagogical rather than merely arithmetic.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla as a cosmic principle; relative measures within māyā while truth remains one.

Application: Study cosmological enumerations with hermeneutic caution—track definitions (what an ‘aṣṭakā’ denotes) and context before asserting certainty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic seat/assembly (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana cosmology/time-measure discussions around kalpa, manvantara, yuga counts (contextual parallels).

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the importance of kalpa-counting in the Garuda Purana?

This verse anchors Garuda Purana’s cosmology in Brahmā’s authority, using kalpa enumeration to frame sacred history and the vast scale in which dharma and creation unfold.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by situating human life and post-death teachings within immense cosmic cycles (kalpas), it suggests the soul’s journey is governed by orderly, divinely articulated cosmic law rather than randomness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages humility and long-term dharmic thinking—treating ethical action, study, and ritual discipline as meaningful within a larger cosmic order.