Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सूर्यादिशिवदुर्गाश्रीविष्ण्वर्चा रक्षयेद्गजम् / बलिं दद्याच्च भूतेभ्यः स्नापयेच्च चतुर्घटैः

Transliteration

sūryādiśivadurgāśrīviṣṇvarcā rakṣayedgajam / baliṃ dadyācca bhūtebhyaḥ snāpayecca caturghaṭaiḥ

Translation

By worshipping Sūrya and the others—Śiva, Durgā, Śrī (Lakṣmī), and Viṣṇu—one should protect the elephant; one should also offer bali (propitiatory offerings) to the bhūtas, and bathe it with water poured from four pots.

Word by Word

• सूर्यादिशिवदुर्गाश्रीविष्ण्वर्चा: worship of Sūrya etc. (Śiva, Durgā, Śrī, Viṣṇu)
• सूर्यादिशिवदुर्गाश्रीविष्ण्वर्चा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थः—सूर्यादीनां (शिव-दुर्गा-श्री-विष्णोः) अर्चा/पूजा

• रक्षयेत्: should protect
• रक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (रक्षणे) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गजम्: the elephant
• गजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बलिम्: an offering
• बलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (दाने) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• भूतेभ्यः: to beings/spirits
• भूतेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (स्नाने) (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• चतुर्घटैः: with four pots (of water)
• चतुर्घटैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या) + घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमास—‘चत्वारः घटाः’

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection through deva-arcana (including Viṣṇu) combined with bhūta-bali and abhiṣeka (four-pot bathing).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha (grace) sought through worship; harmony with seen/unseen beings as part of dharmic order.

Application: Create a holistic protection routine: devotional worship, offerings to local/liminal beings, and cleansing rites; integrate with practical animal care.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.201.34 (śānti-karman); Garuda Purana 1.201.35 (mantra-consecrated adjuncts)

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Shiva
• Durga
• Shri (Lakshmi)
• Vishnu
• Bhutas

FAQs

What is the importance of bali offerings to bhūtas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents bali as a propitiatory act to pacify unseen beings (bhūtas) so that protection (rakṣā) is established and obstacles or afflictions are reduced.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana ritual practice?

It outlines a practical protection rite combining pañca-devatā style worship (Sūrya, Śiva, Durgā, Śrī, Viṣṇu) with bali offerings and a prescribed bathing procedure using four water-pots.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform devotional worship with a protective intention, add a respectful offering for harmonizing the environment, and complete the act with a cleansing ritual (symbolic bathing/purification) as part of disciplined dharmic practice.