Shloka 30

Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier

Devanagari script

कीटपक्षिगणानाञ्च हरौ संन्यस्तचेतसाम् / ऊर्ध्वा ह्येव गतिश्चास्ति किं पुनर्ज्ञानिनां नृणाम्

Transliteration

kīṭapakṣigaṇānāñca harau saṃnyastacetasām / ūrdhvā hyeva gatiścāsti kiṃ punarjñānināṃ nṛṇām

Translation

Selbst für Scharen von Insekten und Vögeln, deren Geist Hari hingegeben ist, gibt es wahrlich einen aufwärts führenden Weg zu höherem Geschick. Um wie viel mehr dann für Menschen, die geistige Erkenntnis besitzen!

Word by Word

• kīṭapakṣigaṇānām: of the groups of insects and birds
• kīṭapakṣigaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समाहार/सम्बन्धार्थ (of the groups of insects and birds)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• harau: in/unto Hari (Vishnu)
• harau: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• saṃnyastacetasām: of those whose minds are surrendered
• saṃnyastacetasām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-√nyas (धातु) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-भावे विशेषण; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) saṃnyasta = 'placed/laid down'; अर्थः: 'whose minds are surrendered/placed (in Hari)'

• ūrdhvā: upward
• ūrdhvā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of गतिḥ)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• eva: certainly, only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• gatiḥ: course, destiny, path
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• asti: is, exists
• asti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• kim: what (then)?
• kim: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle; neuter accusative used adverbially)

• punar: then again, moreover
• punar: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/विशेषार्थक (adverb: again/further)

• jñāninām: of the wise/knowers
• jñāninām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• nṛṇām: of men
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Surrendered mind to Hari grants upward destiny even to lower beings; for humans with jñāna, the fruit is greater still.

Vedantic Theme: Grace (anugraha) and the transformative power of bhakti; hierarchy of adhikāra—jñāna amplifies bhakti’s fruition.

Application: Cultivate Hari-smaraṇa and surrender (saṃnyasta-cetas) regardless of circumstance; for seekers, unite devotion with study and discernment to deepen trajectory toward liberation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring claim that Viṣṇu-smaraṇa at any level uplifts the jīva beyond fear and lower destinies; Garuda Purana: contrasts of gati (upward/downward) tied to mind and remembrance

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of surrender to Hari in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even humble beings attain an upward destiny when their mind is placed in Hari, showing bhakti as a powerful means to rise beyond lower post-death states.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It contrasts downward/limited outcomes with an “upward course” (ūrdhvā gatiḥ), implying that devotion to Vishnu elevates the soul’s post-death trajectory, and that the spiritually wise have an even surer ascent.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady remembrance and surrender to Vishnu (Hari) through prayer, ethical living, and devotion; spiritual understanding (jñāna) combined with bhakti is presented as especially elevating.