Shloka 11

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच / पुराणं गारुडं वक्ष्ये सारं विष्णुकथा श्रयम् / गरुडोक्तं कश्यपाय पुरा व्यासाच्छ्रुतं मया

Transliteration

sūta uvāca / purāṇaṃ gāruḍaṃ vakṣye sāraṃ viṣṇukathā śrayam / garuḍoktaṃ kaśyapāya purā vyāsācchrutaṃ mayā

Translation

Sūta sprach: Ich werde das Garuḍa-Purāṇa darlegen, dessen Wesen auf den Erzählungen von Viṣṇu ruht. Einst sprach Garuḍa es zu Kaśyapa, und ich hörte es von Vyāsa.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गारुडम्: Garuḍa-related (Gāruḍa)
• गारुडम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गारुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) ‘पुराणम्’

• वक्ष्ये: I shall speak/declare
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पुराणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणवत् (as appositive/essence)

• विष्णुकथा: the story of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुकथा: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः कथा)

• श्रयम्: having as its refuge/abode
• श्रयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘पुराणम्’ (having as refuge/abode)

• गरुडोक्तम्: spoken by Garuḍa
• गरुडोक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गरुडेन उक्तम्) कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• कश्यपाय: to Kaśyapa
• कश्यपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• व्यासात्: from Vyāsa
• व्यासात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purāṇa as sāra (essence) grounded in Viṣṇu-kathā; knowledge received through guru-paramparā.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-pramāṇa and sampradāya as means to Brahma-vidyā; īśvara-kathā as purifier of citta.

Application: Approach scripture through authentic lineage; prioritize Viṣṇu-centered listening (śravaṇa) as daily sādhana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.1 (opening frame: Sūta’s narration; Garuḍa–Kaśyapa dialogue motif)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Garuḍa
• Kaśyapa
• Vyāsa
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu-katha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the Garuḍa Purāṇa as essentially grounded in discourse about Viṣṇu, indicating that its teachings are anchored in devotion and dharmic understanding centered on Viṣṇu.

How does this verse establish the authority of the Garuda Purana?

It gives a clear transmission lineage: the teaching was spoken by Garuḍa to Kaśyapa, then heard from Vyāsa by Sūta, presenting it as received through respected authoritative transmitters.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach the text as a disciplined, lineage-based teaching: study it with reverence, keep its Viṣṇu-centered orientation in view, and apply its guidance as part of a broader dharmic life rather than isolated ritualism.