Shloka 74

Kāraṇānvēṣaṇam: The 32 Marks of Hari, Defects (Doṣas), Death-Omens, and Hari’s Omnipresence in Social & Household Life

Devanagari script

बालो हरिर्बालरूपेण कृष्णः क्षीरादिकं नवनीतं घृतं च / गृह्णाति नित्यं भूषणं वस्त्रजातमेवं दद्यात्सर्वदा विष्णुतुष्ट्यै

Transliteration

bālo harirbālarūpeṇa kṛṣṇaḥ kṣīrādikaṃ navanītaṃ ghṛtaṃ ca / gṛhṇāti nityaṃ bhūṣaṇaṃ vastrajātamevaṃ dadyātsarvadā viṣṇutuṣṭyai

Translation

هاري—كريشنا في هيئة طفل—يقبل دائمًا اللبن ومشتقاته، والزبد الطري والسمن (ghee)، كما يقبل الحُليّ والملابس. لذلك ينبغي أن تُقدَّم هذه العطايا على الدوام ابتغاءَ رضا فيشنو.

Word by Word

• bālaḥ: the child
• bālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular

• bāla-rūpeṇa: in the form of a child
• bāla-rūpeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; tatpuruṣa compound ‘child-form’

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Krishna
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular

• kṣīra-ādikam: milk and the like
• kṣīra-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣīra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘milk etc.’

• navanītam: fresh butter
• navanītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: navanīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular

• ghṛtam: ghee
• ghṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• gṛhṇāti: accepts/takes
• gṛhṇāti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्)

• bhūṣaṇam: ornament
• bhūṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular

• vastra-jātam: a set of clothes
• vastra-jātam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + jāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘collection of garments’

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• dadyāt: one should give
• dadyāt: Vidhi-kriya (विधिक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Optative/benedictive sense (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• viṣṇu-tuṣṭyai: for Vishnu’s satisfaction
• viṣṇu-tuṣṭyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + tuṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘for the satisfaction of Vishnu’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as typical Garuda Purana dialogue framing)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bāla-rūpa Hari (Kṛṣṇa) gladly accepts simple sattvic offerings (milk, butter, ghee) and also garments/ornaments; constant giving pleases Viṣṇu.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as bhakta-vatsala (responsive to love), accepting offerings through devotion rather than need; karma transmuted into bhakti by dedication.

Application: Offer daily naivedya (milk/butter/ghee as appropriate) and donate clothing/ornaments (or their equivalent) with the intention of pleasing Vishnu; keep devotion consistent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.22.73-74 (Hari omnipresence → concrete devotional offering)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the importance of offering milk, butter, and ghee in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that Krishna as Bala-Hari accepts dairy offerings like milk, butter, and ghee; giving them as naivedya or dana is presented as a direct means to please Vishnu.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings beyond death-rituals?

While Garuda Purana is famous for afterlife and preta-karmas, it also teaches bhakti and merit-making; here it emphasizes devotional charity and offerings as spiritually efficacious acts.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Offer simple sattvic items (milk, ghee, butter) with devotion, and practice charity by giving clothing or essentials—done with the intention of Vishnu’s pleasure rather than display.