Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

हरे सदा नमामि त्वां बहु जन्मनि जन्मनि / एवं बुद्धा तु गरुडो ह्यभूच्च शयनं हरेः

Transliteration

hare sadā namāmi tvāṃ bahu janmani janmani / evaṃ buddhā tu garuḍo hyabhūcca śayanaṃ hareḥ

Translation

O Hari, stets verneige ich mich vor Dir, immer wieder, durch viele Geburten hindurch. So belehrt wurde Garuḍa wahrlich zur Lagerstatt Haris.

Word by Word

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• नमामि: I bow (to)
• नमामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहु: many
• बहु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक विशेषण (used adverbially: ‘many’)

• जन्मनि: in (a) birth
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जन्मनि: in birth after birth
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• बुद्धा: having understood/realized
• बुद्धा: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle) ‘understood/realized’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पाठानुसार ‘गरुडः’ इत्यस्य सापेक्षं अपेक्षितं ‘बुद्धः’—पुं. प्रथमा. एक. इति; अत्र रूपभेदः/पाठभेदः सम्भाव्यः)

• तु: then/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारण-अव्यय (indeed/for)

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

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

• शयनम्: bed/couch (as a state/role)
• शयनम्: Karma (कर्म)/Predicative complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), in reverence to Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śaraṇāgati expressed through constant namaskāra; devotion carried across births culminates in intimate service to Hari.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra continuity across janmas; bhakti as a liberating force that reorients rebirth toward divine proximity.

Application: Make daily pranāma/namaskāra a non-negotiable practice; cultivate long-horizon devotion beyond immediate results.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: divine couch / celestial abode motif

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: teachings on Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as support across death and rebirth (elsewhere in the text)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of devotion to Hari 'birth after birth' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights unwavering bhakti as a multi-life commitment, portraying liberation-oriented devotion that persists beyond a single incarnation.

How does this verse explain Garuda’s relationship with Vishnu?

It states that after receiving instruction and understanding it, Garuḍa becomes Hari’s śayana—signifying intimate service and divine appointment as Vishnu’s inseparable support/vehicle.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate consistent daily reverence (namāmi) and service-oriented humility; view spiritual practice as long-term continuity rather than a short-term goal.