Shloka 22

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

अत्रिपत्न्यनुसूयायां जज्ञे रुद्रो महातपाः / दुर्वासास्तु स विज्ञेयो मानभङ्गाय भूभृताम्

Transliteration

atripatnyanusūyāyāṃ jajñe rudro mahātapāḥ / durvāsāstu sa vijñeyo mānabhaṅgāya bhūbhṛtām

Translation

In Anasūyā, der Gemahlin Atri’s, wurde ein großer Asket von rudrahaftem, strengen Wesen geboren. Er ist als Durvāsā bekannt, der den Hochmut von Königen und Herrschern bricht.

Word by Word

• atri-patnī: Atri's wife
• atri-patnī: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atri (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन-एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अत्रेः पत्नी)

• anusūyāyām: in/unto Anasūyā
• anusūyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anusūyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• jajñe: was born
• jajñe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mahā-tapāḥ: greatly austere
• mahā-tapāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् तपाः = of great austerity)

• durvāsāḥ: Durvāsā
• durvāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय-नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durvāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vijñeyaḥ: should be known
• vijñeyaḥ: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (य/तव्यत्-अर्थ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘should be known’

• māna-bhaṅgāya: for the breaking of pride
• māna-bhaṅgāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māna (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मानस्य भङ्गः)

• bhū-bhṛtām: of kings
• bhū-bhṛtām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भुवं बिभ्रति = kings)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tapas-born spiritual power functions to restrain ego (māna) and re-align rulers with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Ahaṅkāra as bondage; divine/ascetic agency as a mirror that breaks pride and turns one toward truth.

Application: Cultivate humility in power; accept correction; honor ascetics and ethical counsel; treat pride as a spiritual hazard.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ashram/forest hermitage

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): dharma-nīti passages warning against arrogance and praising tapas and humility

Characters & Entities

• Atri
• Anasuya
• Rudra
• Durvasa
• Kings

FAQs

What is the importance of Durvasa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Durvāsā as a Rudra-like ascetic born to Anasūyā, whose role is to shatter the arrogance of rulers—reinforcing the Purāṇic ethic that power must be governed by humility and dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it teaches that pride and abuse of authority are spiritual obstacles; the Purāṇic narrative uses figures like Durvāsā to correct adharma so that individuals (including kings) align conduct with dharma, which shapes karmic outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat status and authority as responsibilities, not entitlement; cultivate humility and self-restraint, since unchecked ego leads to ethical lapses and negative karmic consequences.