Shloka 55

Mahālakṣmī’s Forms, Brahmā’s Fourfold Origin, Vāyu’s Names and Soteriology, and Bhāratī’s Manifestations

Devanagari script

भुनक्ति सर्वदा वीद्रं तत्र मुख्यस्तु मारुतः / दुः खशोकादिकं किञ्चिद्देवानां भवति प्रभो

Transliteration

bhunakti sarvadā vīdraṃ tatra mukhyastu mārutaḥ / duḥ khaśokādikaṃ kiñciddevānāṃ bhavati prabho

Translation

Dort wird das „vīdra“ fortwährend verzehrt; unter diesen Faktoren ist der Wind (Maruta) der vornehmste. Aus ihm entsteht, o Herr, ein gewisses Maß an Schmerz, Kummer und verwandten Leiden sogar bei den Devas.

Word by Word

• bhunakti: eats/consumes
• bhunakti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• vīdram: (the) Vīdra (name/being)
• vīdram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• tatra: there/in that context
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• mukhyaḥ: chief/primary
• mukhyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

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

• mārutaḥ: Wind (Maruta)
• mārutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• duḥkha-śoka-ādikam: sorrow, grief, etc.
• duḥkha-śoka-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective dvandva)

• kiñcit: something/a little
• kiñcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); अनिश्चितपरिमाण (indefinite)

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• bhavati: arises/is
• bhavati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• prabho: O lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even in divine states, some measure of duḥkha-śoka persists; conditioned happiness is not absolute.

Vedantic Theme: Sarva-saṃsāra is duḥkha-miśra; only mokṣa is unconditioned; dispassion is strengthened by seeing limits of heavenly enjoyment.

Application: Do not romanticize ‘perfect’ states (status, pleasure, even heaven); use the insight to deepen vairāgya and seek stable inner freedom.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.16.53–54 (graded sukha up to Vāyu; Vāyu’s role)

Characters & Entities

• Maruta (Vayu)
• Devas
• Prabhu (Lord Vishnu, addressed)

FAQs

What is the importance of Maruta (Vayu) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse highlights Maruta as the primary force among the conditions affecting experience, indicating that wind/air (vital movement) plays a leading role in producing felt distress such as sorrow and grief.

How does this verse explain the presence of suffering even among devas?

It states that duḥkha and śoka can arise “to some extent” even for devas, implying that certain experiential afflictions are tied to universal forces (like Maruta) rather than only to human circumstances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recognize that mental agitation and grief can be driven by subtle physiological and environmental forces; cultivate steadiness through dharma, breath discipline, and sattvic living to reduce duḥkha and śoka.