Shloka 72

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

Devanagari script

सदाशिवाद्या दश रुद्रभ्रातरः सौमित्रेयो हौहिणेयस्त्रयश्च / समा एते मोक्षकाले सृतौ च शतैर्गुणैर्न्यूनभूताश्च ताभ्याम्

Transliteration

sadāśivādyā daśa rudrabhrātaraḥ saumitreyo hauhiṇeyastrayaśca / samā ete mokṣakāle sṛtau ca śatairguṇairnyūnabhūtāśca tābhyām

Translation

Beginnend mit Sadāśiva gibt es zehn Rudra‑Brüder; dazu Saumitreya und drei, die Hauhiṇeya genannt werden. Zur Zeit der Befreiung (mokṣa) wie auch bei der Auflösung sind sie im Rang gleich; doch in ihren manifesten Wirkkräften gelten sie jenen beiden gegenüber um Hunderte Grade an Macht als geringer.

Word by Word

• sadāśiva-ādyāḥ: beginning with Sadāśiva
• sadāśiva-ādyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadāśiva-ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), बहुवचन (pl.); समासः तत्पुरुष: ‘sadāśivaḥ ādiḥ yeṣām’ (beginning with Sadāśiva)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), अव्ययवत्/प्रथमा-बहुवचनार्थे (ten)

• rudra-bhrātaraḥ: brothers of Rudra
• rudra-bhrātaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra-bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), बहुवचन (pl.); तत्पुरुष: ‘rudrasya bhrātaraḥ’

• saumitreyaḥ: Saumitreya
• saumitreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), एकवचन (sg.); गोत्र/पुत्रार्थक-प्रत्यय (patronymic)

• hauhiṇeyaḥ: Hauhiṇeya
• hauhiṇeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hauhiṇeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), एकवचन (sg.); patronymic

• trayaḥ: three
• trayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), बहुवचन (pl.)

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

• samāḥ: equal
• samāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषणम्

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), बहुवचन (pl.); सर्वनाम

• mokṣa-kāle: at the time of liberation
• mokṣa-kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣa-kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (loc./7th), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: ‘mokṣasya kālaḥ’

• sṛtau: in the course (of departure)
• sṛtau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी (loc./7th), एकवचन (sg.); ‘in the course/going’

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

• śataiḥ: by hundreds
• śataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया (instr./3rd), बहुवचन (pl.)

• guṇaiḥ: by qualities/measures
• guṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (instr./3rd), बहुवचन (pl.)

• nyūna-bhūtāḥ: became inferior/less
• nyūna-bhūtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyūna-bhūta (प्रातिपदिक; bhū (धातु)→भूत (कृदन्त))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (nom./1st), बहुवचन (pl.); भूत = क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) ‘become’; कर्मधारय: ‘nyūnāḥ bhūtāḥ’

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

• tābhyām: by/than those two
• tābhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (m./f.), तृतीया/पञ्चमी (instr./abl. 3rd/5th), द्विवचन (dual)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tārātamya (gradation) pertains to manifested functions, while at mokṣa/pralaya distinctions collapse into essential sameness.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa-bheda is vyāvahārika; in dissolution/liberation, functional differentiation ceases—an approach compatible with non-dual or qualified-non-dual readings depending on sectarian framing.

Application: Hold roles and capacities as contextual; cultivate equanimity by distinguishing essential worth from functional rank in social/spiritual life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.18 (surrounding discourse on divine categories and ultimate states)

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva
• Rudras
• Saumitreya
• Hauhineyas
• Moksha
• Pralaya (Sṛti)

FAQs

What is the importance of listing Rudras in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames how different Rudra-forms are counted and compared, emphasizing that ultimate states (mokṣa and pralaya) level distinctions even if functional power differs during manifestation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting mokṣa-kāla (liberation-time), it points to an end-state where hierarchical distinctions dissolve—supporting the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that the soul’s goal is release beyond conditioned gradations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Focus practice on liberation-oriented disciplines (dharma, japa, devotion, and right conduct) rather than status-comparisons, remembering that ultimate spiritual aim transcends relative ranks and powers.