Shloka 4

Manvantara Catalog: Fourteen Manus, Their Sons, Saptarishis, Indras, Deva-Hosts, and the 18 Vidyās

Devanagari script

विश्वभुग्वामदेवेन्द्रो बाष्कलिस्तदरिर्ह्यभूत् / स हतो विष्णुना दैत्यश्चक्रेण सुमहात्मना

Transliteration

viśvabhugvāmadevendro bāṣkalistadarirhyabhūt / sa hato viṣṇunā daityaścakreṇa sumahātmanā

Translation

Der Daitya namens Bāṣkali wurde zum Feind von Viśvabhuk (auch Vāmadeva-Indra genannt). Da erschlug ihn der großgesinnte Herr Viṣṇu mit Seinem Diskus (cakra).

Word by Word

• विश्वभुक्: Viśvabhuk (name)
• विश्वभुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक; √भुज् धातु ‘भुङ्क्ते’/to enjoy)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नामवाचक

• वामदेवेन्द्रः: Vāmadeva-Indra (name/title)
• वामदेवेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नामवाचक

• बाष्कलिः: Bāṣkali (name)
• बाष्कलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाष्कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नामवाचक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• अरिः: enemy
• अरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• अभूत्: was/became
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• हतः: killed/slain
• हतः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दैत्यः: the Daitya (demon)
• दैत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चक्रेण: with the discus
• चक्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled (one)
• सुमहात्मना: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of Viṣṇu)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrative voice within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu as dharma-rakṣaka: the Lord intervenes to protect devotees and uphold ṛta; adharma meets inevitable defeat.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as the moral governor (karma-phala-dātā) and sustainer; divine grace aligns with cosmic law.

Application: Cultivate trust in dharmic action; resist adharma; remember the Lord as protector in times of conflict and fear.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: mythic battlefield

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Viṣṇu’s protective acts and cakra symbolism in narrative sections (varies by recension)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Bāṣkali (Daitya)
• Viśvabhuk / Vāmadeva-Indra
• Sudarshana Chakra

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu’s chakra in the Garuda Purana?

In this verse, the cakra symbolizes Viṣṇu’s decisive power to remove adharma—here shown by the slaying of the Daitya Bāṣkali who became an enemy to Indra/Viśvabhuk.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

This specific verse is not about the soul’s post-death journey; it highlights a dharmic theme—divine intervention against demonic forces—which forms the moral backdrop for later teachings on karma and consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a reminder to uphold dharma: confront harmful actions decisively, protect the vulnerable, and align personal conduct with ethical restraint rather than aggression or envy.