Shloka 57

Ahaṅkāra-Tripartition and the Rise of Indriyas, Devatās, and Cosmic Administrators

Devanagari script

उषाधमस्तु विज्ञेयस्ततो जज्ञेथ पुष्करः / कर्माभिमानी विज्ञेयः शनैश्चर इतीरितः

Transliteration

uṣādhamastu vijñeyastato jajñetha puṣkaraḥ / karmābhimānī vijñeyaḥ śanaiścara itīritaḥ

Translation

Erkenne Uṣādhama als solche; danach wurde Puṣkara geboren. Und Śanaiścara (Saturn) ist als die waltende Macht zu wissen, die sich mit dem Karma identifiziert — so wird es verkündet.

Word by Word

• उषाधमः: the lowest (one) of Uṣā
• उषाधमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषा + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उषायाः अधमः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• विज्ञेयः: to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + वि; -य (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• ततः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (from/thereafter)

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• पुष्करः: Puṣkara
• पुष्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्माभिमानी: one who identifies with action
• कर्माभिमानी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् + अभिमानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणि अभिमानः यस्य/कर्माभिमानिन्)

• विज्ञेयः: to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + वि; -य (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शनैश्चरः: Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• शनैश्चरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनैः + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात

• ईरितः: is said/declared
• ईरितः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईरित (प्रातिपदिक); √ईर्/√ईरय् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (said/declared)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śanaiścara as karma’s presiding identification—time-bound fruition, accountability, and the inevitability of results.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as governed within īśvara-sṛṣṭi order; the jīva’s experience shaped by time and causality until knowledge liberates.

Application: Act with foresight; accept consequences without resentment; cultivate steadiness in duties, especially when results are slow or burdensome.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.5.56 (Śani as pṛthivyātmā); Garuda Purana 3.5.58 (Hari entering tattvas)

Characters & Entities

• Puṣkara
• Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• Uṣādhama

FAQs

What is the importance of Śanaiścara (Shani) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Śanaiścara as the power identified with karma—i.e., a presiding force through which karmic consequences are experienced.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul through karma?

By linking Śanaiścara with karmābhimāna (identification with action and its fruits), it implies that embodied beings meet structured results of their deeds through cosmic administrators of karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with accountability: reduce harmful actions, perform duty without egoistic attachment, and accept consequences as part of karmic order rather than blaming fate.