Shloka 20

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

दशवर्षं तपः कर्तुं विवेश लवणांभसि / अतो रुद्रस्तपः संज्ञामवाप च खगोत्तम

Transliteration

daśavarṣaṃ tapaḥ kartuṃ viveśa lavaṇāṃbhasi / ato rudrastapaḥ saṃjñāmavāpa ca khagottama

Translation

ولأداءِ التَّقشُّفِ عشرَ سنينَ، دخلَ في المياهِ المالحة؛ ومن ثمّ، يا غارودا يا خيرَ الطير، نالَ رودرا لقبَ «تَبَهْ» أي سيّدَ الزُّهدِ والتقشّف.

Word by Word

• daśa-varṣam: ten years (for a period of ten years)
• daśa-varṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (दश वर्षम् = ten years)

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• kartum: to perform
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Infinitive), कर्तुम् = to do

• viveśa: entered
• viveśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-viś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• lavaṇa-ambhasi: in the salty water (sea)
• lavaṇa-ambhasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lavaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (लवणम् अम्भः = salty water)

• ataḥ: therefore, from that
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारण/परिणामार्थक अव्यय (therefore/from that)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• tapaḥ: (named) 'Tapaḥ'
• tapaḥ: Visheshya (विशेष्य/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; (संज्ञा-रूपेण)

• saṃjñām: designation, name
• saṃjñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• avāpa: obtained, attained
• avāpa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• khaga-uttama: O best of birds
• khaga-uttama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (खगानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tapas as transformative discipline: sustained austerity yields spiritual potency and recognized status (nāma/saṃjñā).

Vedantic Theme: Citta-śuddhi through tapas; disciplined action as a preparatory means toward higher realization.

Application: Adopt consistent, time-bound disciplines (vrata, japa, fasting, service) with steadiness; measure progress by inner purification rather than display.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ocean

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: valorization of tapas and disciplined practice as means to purification (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of tapas (austerity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights tapas as a defining spiritual force—so potent that it becomes a name/epithet for Rudra, indicating that disciplined austerity is revered as a source of divine attainment.

How does this verse explain the path of spiritual attainment?

It presents a model of attainment through sustained discipline: entering the salt waters and practicing austerity for ten years culminates in recognition and transformation of status—symbolized by Rudra receiving a tapas-associated designation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt steady, time-bound discipline (tapas) such as daily japa, fasting, or ethical restraint; the verse emphasizes consistency over time as the key to inner strength and spiritual identity.