Shloka 14

Hari-stuti by Śrī, Brahmā, Vāyu, Sarasvatī, Śeṣa, Garuḍa, Rudra, Vāruṇī and Pārvatī

Humility, Surrender, and the Power of the Name

Devanagari script

अनुग्रहार्थं च तवावतारो नान्यश्च किञ्चित्पुरुषार्थस्तवेश / गोभूसुराणां च महीरुहाणां तथा सुराणां प्रवरावतारैः

Transliteration

anugrahārthaṃ ca tavāvatāro nānyaśca kiñcitpuruṣārthastaveśa / gobhūsurāṇāṃ ca mahīruhāṇāṃ tathā surāṇāṃ pravarāvatāraiḥ

Translation

أيها الربّ، إنّ نزولك كأفاتارا إنما هو لأجل النعمة وحدها؛ وليس لك أيّ غرضٍ شخصيّ آخر. وبأفاتاراتك السامية ترفع وتحمي الأبقار، والبراهمة، والأرض وأشجارها، وكذلك تحمي الآلهة.

Word by Word

• अनुग्रह-अर्थम्: for (the purpose of) grace
• अनुग्रह-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (अनुग्रह-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (for the sake of grace); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अवतारः: descent/incarnation
• अवतारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (अवतार-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (अन्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अवतारः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• किञ्चित्: any (thing)
• किञ्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃcit (किम्-प्रातिपदिक + चित्)
• Form: अनिश्चित-प्रमाणवाचक सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पुरुषार्थः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पुरुष-अर्थः: human goal/purpose
• पुरुष-अर्थः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (ईश-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• गो-भू-सुराणाम्: of cows, earth, and brāhmaṇas (lit. gods)
• गो-भू-सुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (गो-प्रातिपदिक) + bhū (भू-प्रातिपदिक) + sura (सुर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative): गो + भू + सुर; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• महीरुहाणाम्: of trees
• महीरुहाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīruha (महीरुह-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (mahī + ruha = ‘earth-growing’ = tree); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थे (likewise/also)

• सुराणाम्: of the gods
• सुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (सुर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• प्रवर-अवतारैः: by excellent incarnations
• प्रवर-अवतारैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pravara (प्रवर-प्रातिपदिक) + avatāra (अवतार-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (best + incarnations); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avatāra is for anugraha (grace) and loka-saṅgraha (upholding the world); protection of go-bhū-sura and nature is dharma-preserving.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s līlā and anugraha as motive; dharma-rakṣaṇa as expression of compassion; the Lord as sustainer of ṛta/dharma.

Application: See protection of vulnerable beings and sacred institutions as spiritual duty; practice stewardship—care for animals, teachers, land, and trees as part of dharmic living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: avatāra and Vishnu-protection motifs in bhakti sections (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Go (cows)
• Bhu-sura (Brahmanas)
• Suras (Devas)

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu’s avatara (incarnation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the avatara happens for anugraha—compassionate grace and protection of dharma—not for any self-serving purpose of the Lord.

How does this verse relate to the protection of dharma and the world?

It frames avatara as safeguarding key supports of dharma—cows, brāhmaṇas, trees/earthly life, and the devas—showing cosmic order is restored through divine intervention.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat service and leadership as duty-driven rather than self-interested: protect vulnerable life, support learning and ethical conduct, and care for nature as pillars of dharma.