Shloka 33

Paramparā (Transmission), Rudra’s Viṣṇu-Dhyāna, and the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s Origin-Impulse

Devanagari script

रुद्र उवाच / हरे कथय देवेश ! देवदेवः क ईश्वरः / को ध्येयः कश्च वै पूज्यः कैर्व्रतै स्तुष्यते परः

Transliteration

rudra uvāca / hare kathaya deveśa ! devadevaḥ ka īśvaraḥ / ko dhyeyaḥ kaśca vai pūjyaḥ kairvratai stuṣyate paraḥ

Translation

ৰুদ্ৰে ক’লে—হে হৰে, হে দেৱেশ! দেৱদেৱ সেই পৰম ঈশ্বৰ কোন? কাক ধ্যান কৰিব লাগে, কোন পূজ্য? আৰু কোন কোন ব্ৰতে পৰম পুৰুষ তুষ্ট হয়?

Word by Word

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘tell’

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Vocative singular

• देवदेवः: god of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Predicate interrogative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम — Interrogative nominative singular

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Predicate interrogative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• ध्येयः: to be meditated on
• ध्येयः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (प्रातिपदिक; ध्यै धातोः कृत्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘to be meditated upon’

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Predicate interrogative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• पूज्यः: worthy of worship
• पूज्यः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (प्रातिपदिक; पूज् धातोः कृत्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘to be worshipped’

• कैः: by which?
• कैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक — Instrumental plural ‘by which/with what’

• व्रतैः: by vows/observances
• व्रतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter instrumental plural

• तुष्यते: is pleased
• तुष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘is pleased’

• परः: the Supreme (one)
• परः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine nominative singular

Speaker

Rudra (Śiva)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Determining the supreme object of meditation and worship, and the disciplines (vrata) that please the Highest.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-paratva and upāsanā: the mind’s dhyeya and life’s pūjya must be aligned with the Supreme for spiritual fruition.

Application: Clarify one’s ‘highest’ (ultimate value): choose a primary iṣṭa (here, Hari/Viṣṇu), adopt consistent vows/observances, and unify meditation and worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine dialogue

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.2.34 (further questions on dharma, niyama, ācāra, and form); Garuda Purana 1.2.35 (cosmic origin, sustenance, dissolution, avatāra)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of identifying the Supreme Lord in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the core inquiry of the chapter—clarifying the highest object of meditation and worship, and the disciplines (vratas) that lead to divine satisfaction and spiritual direction.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By asking who is truly ‘dhyeya’ (to be meditated upon) and what observances please the Supreme, the verse points to right devotion and disciplined living as the foundation for auspicious spiritual outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose a clear focus for daily meditation and worship, and keep consistent ethical vows (truthfulness, purity, restraint, charity) as a lived practice of devotion.