Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

ततो हरिर्भगवान्वामनोभूददित्यां वै कश्यपाद्दवदेवः / इन्द्रायेदं दातुकामः खगेन्द्र तदर्थं वै पावितुं सोवितुं च

Transliteration

tato harirbhagavānvāmanobhūdadityāṃ vai kaśyapāddavadevaḥ / indrāyedaṃ dātukāmaḥ khagendra tadarthaṃ vai pāvituṃ sovituṃ ca

Translation

Dann wurde Hari, der gesegnete Bhagavān, zu Vāmana, geboren aus Aditi und dem göttlichen Weisen Kaśyapa. O Herr der Vögel (Garuda), da Er dieses Heil Indra schenken wollte, nahm Er dieses Vorhaben auf sich, um zu läutern und die rechte Bewegung des Dharma, der kosmischen Ordnung, wiederherzustellen.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), temporal adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे उपाधि (epithet)

• vāmanaḥ: Vāmana
• vāmanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अवतार-नाम

• abhūt: became/was born
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• adityām: in Aditi (as mother)
• adityām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aditi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/assurance

• kaśyapāt: from Kaśyapa
• kaśyapāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• dvādevaḥ: (as) the divine one (possibly ‘one of the twelve Ādityas’)
• dvādevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; पाठभेद-संभवः: 'dvādaśa-devaḥ' (twelve-god) इति

• indrāya: for Indra
• indrāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• idam: this (kingdom/thing)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; वस्तुनिर्देश

• dātu-kāmaḥ: desirous to give
• dātu-kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष; 'दातु' (tumun infinitive) + 'कामा' (desirous) → पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (desiderative adjective)

• khagendra: O king of birds (Garuda)
• khagendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; खगानाम् इन्द्रः (king of birds)

• tad-artham: for that purpose
• tad-artham: Hetu (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; 'तदर्थम्' = for that purpose (purpose adverb)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• pāvituṃ: to purify
• pāvituṃ: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pū (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), परस्मैपद-धातु; क्रियार्थक (purpose)

• sovituṃ: to beget/bring forth (intended sense uncertain)
• sovituṃ: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sū (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), परस्मैपद-धातु; पाठभेद-संभवः: 'srotuṃ'/'stotuṃ' इति; अत्र 'sū' = to beget/bring forth

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is restored through humility and rightful redistribution; purification (pāvana) and proper cosmic functioning (pravṛtti/niyati) are divine aims.

Vedantic Theme: Līlā as governance of cosmic order; the Lord uses smallness (vāmana) to reveal limitless sovereignty (trivikrama).

Application: Practice humility while pursuing justice; use proportionate means to correct imbalance and return what is rightfully held in trust.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: hermitage and yajña-sabhā (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.15 (Vāmana among avatāras)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Vamana
• Aditi
• Kashyapa
• Indra
• Garuda (Khagendra)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Vāmana incarnation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Vāmana as a deliberate divine manifestation undertaken to restore order and to return rightful sovereignty to Indra—showing how avatāras function to re-establish dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana teachings?

Indirectly, it emphasizes purification (pāvana) and the restoration of right order—core themes that also underlie Garuda Purana’s guidance on post-death rites and ethical living, where purity and dharma shape the soul’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act to restore fairness and dharma in one’s duties, and prioritize inner purification—intent aligned with righteousness is presented as the basis for lasting order and well-being.