Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

महत्तत्त्वादिमा अदाविन्द्रियाणां च देवताः / एकादशविधा आसन्क्रमेण तु खगेश्वर

Transliteration

mahattattvādimā adāvindriyāṇāṃ ca devatāḥ / ekādaśavidhā āsankrameṇa tu khageśvara

Translation

হে খগেশ্বর! মহত্তত্ত্ব থেকে আরম্ভ করে ইন্দ্রিয়গুলির অধিষ্ঠাত্রী দেবতাগণ আদিতে ক্রমানুসারে একাদশরূপে উৎপন্ন হলেন।

Word by Word

• mahat-tattva-ādimāḥ: beginning with Mahat-tattva
• mahat-tattva-ādimāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (1st case/Nominative), Bahuvacana (plural); विशेषण (adjective)

• ādau: in the beginning
• ādau: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable), kāla-avyaya (temporal adverb)

• indriyāṇām: of the senses
• indriyāṇām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (neuter), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th case/Genitive), Bahuvacana (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, samuccaya (conjunction)

• devatāḥ: deities (presiding deities)
• devatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Bahuvacana (plural)

• ekādaśa-vidhāḥ: of eleven kinds
• ekādaśa-vidhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Bahuvacana (plural); विशेषण

• āsan: were
• āsan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (plural)

• krameṇa: in order, sequentially
• krameṇa: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā-ekavacana used adverbially (instrumental singular as adverb)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध-बोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, avadhāraṇa/viśeṣa (particle)

• khaga-īśvara: O lord of birds
• khaga-īśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana (singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: From Mahat-tattva onward, the presiding deities (devatā-abhimānins) of the faculties arise in due order, counted as elevenfold (ten indriyas plus manas).

Vedantic Theme: Functional deities as cosmic counterparts of individual faculties; microcosm-macrocosm correspondence (piṇḍa-brahmāṇḍa-sāmya).

Application: Contemplate faculties as governed processes; cultivate reverence and responsibility in perception/action, recognizing their cosmic order and limits.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.5.9-3.5.12 (indriyas, then their devatās; mind and abhimānin deities)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Indriya-devatas
• Mahat-tattva

FAQs

What is the importance of Mahat-tattva in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places Mahat-tattva at the start of the manifested order, indicating that cosmic intellect is a primary principle from which further faculties—like the sense-system and its presiding deities—are organized.

How does this verse explain the structure of the subtle body (sukshma sharira)?

By referencing the indriyas and their devatās as arising in an ordered sequence, it supports the Purāṇic-Sāṅkhya view that the subtle body is a structured system of faculties governed by higher intelligences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat the senses as disciplined instruments rather than masters: practicing restraint and mindful perception aligns one’s inner faculties with dharma and clarity.