Shloka 11

Viṣṇu as Seed-Cause: Pañcarātra Emanations, Tattva-Unfolding, and the Avatāra Chronology

Devanagari script

स एव विष्णुः समभूद्ब्रदर्यां नारायणाख्यः शमलापहश्च / तपस्तप्तुं शिक्षयितुं त्वृषीणां तिरस्कर्तुं ह्यप्सरसां सहस्रम्

Transliteration

sa eva viṣṇuḥ samabhūdbradaryāṃ nārāyaṇākhyaḥ śamalāpahaśca / tapastaptuṃ śikṣayituṃ tvṛṣīṇāṃ tiraskartuṃ hyapsarasāṃ sahasram

Translation

Eben jener Viṣṇu erschien dort als Nārāyaṇa, der Sünden tilgt; um Askese (tapas) zu üben, die ṛṣis im tapas zu unterweisen und—ja, sogar—die tausend Apsarās, die ihn ablenken sollten, unbeachtet zurückzuweisen.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन), demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• samabhūt: became, manifested
• samabhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bradaryām: in Bradarī (place/name)
• bradaryām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bradarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• nārāyaṇākhyaḥ: named Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇākhyaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nārāyaṇa-ākhya (प्रातिपदिक); components: nārāyaṇa + ākhya
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of viṣṇuḥ

• śamalāpahaḥ: remover of impurity/sin
• śamalāpahaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śamala-apaha (प्रातिपदिक); components: śamala + apaha
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• taptum: to perform (austerity)
• taptum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्), purpose (प्रयोजनार्थ)

• śikṣayitum: to teach, train
• śikṣayitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śikṣ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्), purpose (प्रयोजनार्थ)

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) with contrast/emphasis

• ṛṣīṇām: of the sages
• ṛṣīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tiraskartum: to repel, to ward off
• tiraskartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tiras-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्), purpose (प्रयोजनार्थ)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), causal/emphatic particle (निपात)

• apsarasām: of the apsarases
• apsarasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tapas and sense-restraint (indriya-nigraha) as a purifier; the Lord as pāpa-hara who models and teaches austerity.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as the inner ruler enabling purification (citta-śuddhi) that supports knowledge and devotion.

Application: Cultivate disciplined practice (fasting, vows, meditation) and reduce distraction; treat temptations as tests of steadiness rather than invitations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/Moksha-khanda): recurring praise of Nārāyaṇa as pāpa-hara; exhortations to tapas and self-control (general thematic parallels)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narayana
• Rishis
• Apsarases
• Badari (Badarikashrama)

FAQs

What is the importance of tapas (austerity) in the Garuda Purana according to this verse?

The verse presents tapas as a deliberate discipline taught by Nārāyaṇa himself—meant to purify sin (śamala) and strengthen steadiness of mind even amid strong temptations.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader focus on sin and purification?

By calling Nārāyaṇa “śamalāpaha” (remover of impurity), it links divine embodiment and spiritual practice with the removal of moral/ritual defilement—an underlying theme behind many Garuda Purana instructions on dharma and purification.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a consistent discipline (tapas) such as daily japa, restraint in consumption, and ethical vows—training the mind to remain steady when distractions arise.