Shloka 37

Ahaṅkāra-Tripartition and the Rise of Indriyas, Devatās, and Cosmic Administrators

Devanagari script

धूरिलोचनसंज्ञौ द्वौ क्रतुदक्षेतिसंज्ञकौ / द्वौ सत्यवसुसंज्ञौ च कामकालकसंज्ञकौ

Transliteration

dhūrilocanasaṃjñau dvau kratudakṣetisaṃjñakau / dvau satyavasusaṃjñau ca kāmakālakasaṃjñakau

Translation

اثنان يُسمَّيان دهوريلوچانا (Dhūriloċana)؛ واثنان يُدعَيان كراتو (Kratu) وداكشا (Dakṣa)؛ واثنان يُسمَّيان ساتيا (Satya) وفاسو (Vasu)؛ واثنان آخران يُدعَيان كاما (Kāma) وكالاكا (Kālaka).

Word by Word

• धूरि: Dhūri (name)
• धूरि: Apposition (नाम-घटक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम-घटक)

• लोचन: Locana (name)
• लोचन: Apposition (नाम-घटक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम-घटक)

• संज्ञौ: (the) two named
• संज्ञौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃjña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘named’

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता/quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• क्रतु: Kratu (name)
• क्रतु: Apposition (नाम-घटक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम-घटक)

• दक्षेति: (called) ‘Dakṣa’
• दक्षेति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣa + iti (प्रातिपदिक + अव्यय)
• Form: ‘इति’ इत्यव्ययेन सह नामनिर्देशः (quotative marker)

• संज्ञकौ: (the) two named
• संज्ञकौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃjñaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘named’

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता/quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• सत्यवसु: Satyavasu (name)
• सत्यवसु: Apposition (नाम-घटक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya + vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम-घटक); कर्मधारय (‘true’ + ‘Vasu’)

• संज्ञौ: (the) two named
• संज्ञौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃjña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘named’

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

• काम: Kāma (name)
• काम: Apposition (नाम-घटक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम-घटक)

• कालक: Kālaka (name)
• कालक: Apposition (नाम-घटक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम-घटक)

• संज्ञकौ: (the) two named
• संज्ञकौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃjñaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘named’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Orderly naming and pairing indicates structured cosmic functions; knowledge is transmitted through precise lists.

Vedantic Theme: Cognitive discipline (saṅkhyāna) as a preparatory aid; plurality organized without losing underlying unity of order.

Application: Use paired grouping as a memorization method; in liturgy, maintain accuracy of names to preserve intended referents.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.5.36 (introduction to the tenfold Viśvedevas); Garuda Purana 3.5.38 (concluding statement and next groups: Ṛbhus, Pitṛs)

Characters & Entities

• Dhūriloċana
• Kratu
• Dakṣa
• Satya
• Vasu
• Kāma
• Kālaka

FAQs

What is the importance of listing these names in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a catalog of specific beings/officials associated with Yama’s realm, helping identify the structured administration described in Preta Kanda narratives.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: by naming paired officials/attendants, it supports the text’s broader depiction that the departed soul’s journey is overseen by designated beings within Yama’s system of judgment and transit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seriousness about karma and śrāddha/antyeṣṭi duties—because the Purana presents the after-death process as orderly and accountability-driven, not random.