Shloka 50

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठजो दक्षो ब्रह्मपुत्रो महामतिः / कन्यां सृष्ट्वा हरेः प्रीणन्नास भूमा प्रजापतिः / पुत्रानुदपादयद्दक्षस्त्वतो दक्ष इति स्मृतः

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhajo dakṣo brahmaputro mahāmatiḥ / kanyāṃ sṛṣṭvā hareḥ prīṇannāsa bhūmā prajāpatiḥ / putrānudapādayaddakṣastvato dakṣa iti smṛtaḥ

Translation

Dakṣa—aus dem rechten Daumen geboren, der großgesinnte Sohn Brahmās—erschuf eine Tochter und wurde, indem er Hari (Viṣṇu) erfreute, auf Erden ein mächtiger Prajāpati. Da er Söhne hervorbrachte, wird er darum mit dem Namen „Dakṣa“, der Fähige, erinnert.

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇa-aṅguṣṭha-jaḥ: born from the right thumb
• dakṣiṇa-aṅguṣṭha-jaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st case), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: dakṣiṇasya aṅguṣṭhasya jātaḥ (born from the right thumb)

• dakṣaḥ: Dakṣa
• dakṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• brahma-putraḥ: son of Brahmā
• brahma-putraḥ: Apposition/Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: brahmaṇaḥ putraḥ (son of Brahmā)

• mahā-matiḥ: great-minded, very intelligent
• mahā-matiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: mahā ca sā matiḥ (of great intellect)

• kanyām: a daughter/maiden
• kanyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd case), Ekavacana

• sṛṣṭvā: having created
• sṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (absolutive/gerund), pūrvakāla-kriyā; from √sṛj (to create)

• hareḥ: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th case), Ekavacana

• prīṇan: pleasing
• prīṇan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya (present active participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; from √prī (to please)

• āsa: was
• āsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; √as (to be)

• bhūmā: Bhūmā (name/epithet)
• bhūmā: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (irregular stem bhūman → bhūmā)

• prajā-patiḥ: Prajāpati
• prajā-patiḥ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: prajānāṃ patiḥ (lord of creatures)

• putrān: sons
• putrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• udapādayat: produced, brought forth
• udapādayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-pad (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; causative sense ‘caused to arise/produced’ (utpādayati)

• dakṣaḥ: Dakṣa
• dakṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (emphasis/contrast)

• ataḥ: therefore, hence
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (reason/therefore)

• dakṣaḥ: Dakṣa
• dakṣaḥ: Pratijñā/Predicate-noun (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle

• smṛtaḥ: is called/remembered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (past passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; √smṛ (to remember/call)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Capacity/competence (dakṣatā) expressed as responsible creation and progeny, offered in devotion to Hari, sustains loka and dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Karma aligned with īśvara-prītyartha (actions for pleasing the Lord); order (ṛta/dharma) maintained through sanctioned creation.

Application: Treat family duties and creative work as sacred stewardship; align generativity (projects/children/community building) with ethical and devotional intent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmogonic origin + earthly governance

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28 (genealogical/role identifications; name-etymologies)

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Brahma
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Prajapati

FAQs

What is the importance of Daksha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Dakṣa as a key Prajāpati (progenitor) whose creative power and status arise from divine origin (Brahmā) and devotion that pleases Hari (Viṣṇu).

How does this verse explain the source of creative authority?

It links creative authority to both lineage (being Brahmā’s son) and spiritual merit—Dakṣa becomes a mighty Prajāpati by pleasing Hari, then manifests progeny (sons).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes that capability and success (dakṣatā) are strengthened by devotion and ethical alignment with dharma, not merely by birth or position.