Shloka 5

Hari’s Avatāras and the Cosmic Power of Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

आयुर्वेदमथाष्टाङ्गं सुश्रुताय स उक्तवान् / अमृतं पाययामास स्त्रीरूपी च सुरान्हरिः

Transliteration

āyurvedamathāṣṭāṅgaṃ suśrutāya sa uktavān / amṛtaṃ pāyayāmāsa strīrūpī ca surānhariḥ

Translation

Er lehrte Suśruta die achtgliedrige Wissenschaft des Āyurveda; und Hari, in weiblicher Gestalt, ließ die Götter amṛta, den Trank der Unsterblichkeit, trinken.

Word by Word

• आयुर्वेदम्: Ayurveda
• आयुर्वेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आयुषः वेदः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमे/अनन्तरम् (then/thereupon)

• अष्टाङ्गम्: eight-limbed (having eight branches)
• अष्टाङ्गम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणं—आयुर्वेदम्; समासः—द्विगु (अष्ट अङ्गानि यस्य)

• सुश्रुताय: to Suśruta
• सुश्रुताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उक्तवान्: said/taught
• उक्तवान्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्तवत्/Perfect participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातुः—वच् (to say)

• अमृतम्: nectar
• अमृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पाययामास: made (them) drink
• पाययामास: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-प्राय (परिप्रास/Periphrastic perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच् (causative) भावः—पाययति (to cause to drink)

• स्त्री-रूपी: in the form of a woman
• स्त्री-रूपी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणं—हरिः; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्त्रियाः रूपं यस्य/स्त्रीरूपः)

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

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari) speaking to Garuda (Vinata-putra) [contextual attribution within typical Garuda Purana dialogue]

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Knowledge that preserves life (Āyurveda) is sacred; the Lord may employ māyā for loka-saṃgraha—protecting dharma and rightful order.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s līlā and māyā as instruments of dharma; vidyā as upakāra for beings within saṃsāra.

Application: Honor medical knowledge as a dharmic service; use skill and discernment ethically to protect the vulnerable and uphold order.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic ocean and divine court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.142 (Dhanvantari and avatāra sequence; Mohinī episode allusion)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Suśruta
• Devas (Suras)
• Amṛta

FAQs

What is the importance of Āyurveda in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links Āyurveda—specifically its eightfold (aṣṭāṅga) system—to sacred transmission, presenting it as a divinely sanctioned knowledge taught for preserving life and order.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s broader teachings?

By showing Hari safeguarding cosmic balance (giving amṛta to the devas) and teaching life-preserving knowledge (Āyurveda), it frames dharma as both spiritual order and practical welfare.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat health-care and life-preserving knowledge as dharmic responsibility—use medical wisdom ethically, protect life, and avoid actions that disrupt social and moral order.