Shloka 46

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

भवामि रिपुवीरघ्न सत्यमेतदुहाहृतम् / स्वहस्तेन कथं देयं राज्ञे वा भोजनं मया

Transliteration

bhavāmi ripuvīraghna satyametaduhāhṛtam / svahastena kathaṃ deyaṃ rājñe vā bhojanaṃ mayā

Translation

„O Bezwinger der feindlichen Helden, ich werde wahrlich gehorchen—so ist es in Wahrheit gesprochen. Doch wie kann ich mit eigener Hand dem König Speise darreichen?“

Word by Word

• भवामि: I become / I would be
• भवामि: Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष? (न), उत्तमपुरुष-एकवचन (1st person singular)

• रिपुवीरघ्न: O slayer of enemy-heroes
• रिपुवीरघ्न: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु)
• Form: समासः—रिपु+वीर (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव) + घ्न (हन्-धातोः 'घ्न' प्रत्यय); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta/Pratijna (वाक्यविषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; 'सत्यम्' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• उहा: reasoning/consideration
• उहा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• आहृतम्: brought forth / produced
• आहृतम्: Kriya (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; 'उहा' द्वारा—"brought/produced"

• स्वहस्तेन: with (my) own hand
• स्वहस्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—स्व+हस्त (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'one's own hand'); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Kriya (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-भावे 'देय' (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; अर्थः—"to be given/should be given"

• राज्ञे: to the king
• राज्ञे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Dative singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• भोजनम्: food/meal
• भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); अत्र कर्मरूपे (Acc.)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Karta (करण/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular), सर्वनाम

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma-sankata: conflict between obedience/commitment and perceived impropriety in service roles.

Vedantic Theme: Kartavya vs ahankara: acting without ego while honoring rightful order; discerning action (viveka) amid social constraints.

Application: When asked to do something uncomfortable, affirm intent to help, then clarify constraints and seek an alternative that preserves dignity and duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: court/household threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: didactic passages on right conduct and truthful speech; narrative exempla of dharma-sankata

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• King (Raja)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering food with proper protocol in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that even when one agrees to perform an act, the manner of offering (who gives, to whom, and how) must align with dharma and social-ritual propriety.

How does this verse connect to Garuda Purana themes of dharma and ritual conduct?

In the Garuda–Vishnu dialogue, the text repeatedly stresses right procedure; here the speaker accepts the instruction as true yet questions the correct, lawful way to personally present food to a ruler.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act with integrity and humility: agree to do what is right, but also ensure your method respects ethical norms, roles, and context—especially in giving, service, and public acts.