Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

अहं साक्षात्सदाचारो धर्मो ऽहं वैष्णवो ह्यहम् / वर्णाश्रमास्तथा चाहं तद्धर्मो ऽहं पुरातनः

Transliteration

ahaṃ sākṣātsadācāro dharmo 'haṃ vaiṣṇavo hyaham / varṇāśramāstathā cāhaṃ taddharmo 'haṃ purātanaḥ

Translation

Ich selbst bin das Wesen rechten Wandels; ich bin Dharma, und wahrlich bin ich der vaiṣṇavische Weg. Ich bin auch die Ordnung von varṇa und āśrama und ihr uraltes, beständiges Gesetz.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb), अर्थः—directly/manifestly

• सदाचारः: good conduct
• सदाचारः: Pratijñā/Predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (sad-ācāraḥ = good conduct)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Pratijñā/Predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वैष्णवः: a Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवः: Pratijñā/Predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थः—indeed

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वर्णाश्रमाः: the varṇas and āśramas
• वर्णाश्रमाः: Pratijñā/Predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (varṇa-āśramāḥ = varṇas and āśramas)

• तथा: thus, also
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अर्थः—thus/also

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात (conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र समासपूर्वपदत्वेन (that)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Pratijñā/Predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (समासे उत्तरपदम्: तद्धर्मः)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरातनः: ancient, primeval
• पुरातनः: Pratijñā/Predicative (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sadācāra and varṇāśrama-dharma are not merely social conventions but expressions of the divine, ‘ancient law’.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as dharma-svarūpa; harmonizing pravṛtti (ordered life) with spiritual aim.

Application: Practice integrity, restraint, and role-appropriate duties; treat ethical conduct as worship (vaiṣṇava-bhāva in daily life).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.2.48 (discipline/vows as divine)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dharma
• Varna
• Ashrama

FAQs

What is the importance of sadācāra (right conduct) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse equates sadācāra with Dharma itself, presenting ethical conduct as a direct expression of the divine order upheld by Lord Vishnu.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By grounding spiritual progress in Dharma—especially daily right conduct and adherence to one’s rightful duties—it implies that the soul’s well-being depends on living in alignment with the divine moral law.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat ethical discipline, truthfulness, non-harm, and duty-based living as spiritual practice—seeing Dharma not as optional rules but as alignment with the divine.