Shloka 120

Vishnu-sahasranāma-style Japa: Vishnu as Cosmic Cause and Inner Self

Antaryāmin

Devanagari script

बहुपाच्च सुपाच्चैव तथैव च सहस्रपात् / चतुष्पाच्च द्विपाच्चैव स्मृतिर्न्यायो यमो बली(७३०)

Transliteration

bahupācca supāccaiva tathaiva ca sahasrapāt / catuṣpācca dvipāccaiva smṛtirnyāyo yamo balī(730)

Translation

Der Vielfüßige, der Wohlfüßige und ebenso der Tausendfüßige; der Vierfüßige und der Zweifüßige — über all dem stehen Smṛti (heilige Überlieferung), Nyāya (rechte Vernunft/Gerechtigkeit) und der mächtige Yama, Herr des Dharma.

Word by Word

• बहुपात्: many-footed
• बहुपात्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + पात् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (बहवः पादाः यस्य / many-footed)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुपात्: having good feet/steps
• सुपात्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पात् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सहस्रपात्: thousand-footed
• सहस्रपात्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + पात् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (सहस्रं पादाः यस्य / thousand-footed)

• चतुष्पात्: four-footed
• चतुष्पात्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + पात् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (चत्वारः पादाः यस्य / four-footed)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्विपात्: two-footed
• द्विपात्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + पात् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (द्वौ पादौ यस्य / two-footed)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• स्मृतिः: Smṛti; tradition; memory
• स्मृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न्यायः: Nyāya; logic; justice
• न्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बली: strong; powerful
• बली: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (speaking to Garuḍa)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All beings and forms are encompassed by cosmic order, and moral causality is administered through smṛti, nyāya, and Yama’s dharma-power.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as karmaphala-dātā (often via Yama as adhikārī-devatā); dharma as the regulating principle within saṃsāra.

Application: Live with ethical consistency: actions across all ‘modes of life’ are accountable; align choices with justice and tradition-informed conscience.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic court / moral order

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama, his court, and karmic adjudication (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of Yama in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Yama as the mighty enforcer of dharma whose jurisdiction extends over all beings, emphasizing moral accountability.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting Smṛti and Nyāya alongside Yama, it implies that the soul’s post-death consequences are assessed through a framework of dharma, lawful tradition, and just judgment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with ethical discipline and accountability—align actions with dharma and fairness, recognizing that moral law applies universally.