Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नाम पञ्चसप्ततितमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / हिमवत्युत्तरदेशे वीर्यं पतितं सुरद्विषस्तस्य / संप्राप्तमुत्तमानामाकरतां भीष्मरत्नानाम्

Transliteration

nāma pañcasaptatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / himavatyuttaradeśe vīryaṃ patitaṃ suradviṣastasya / saṃprāptamuttamānāmākaratāṃ bhīṣmaratnānām

Translation

Thus begins the seventy-sixth chapter. Sūta said: In the northern region of Himavat, the virile seed (vīrya) of that foe of the gods fell; from it arose a foremost mine, an abundant source of awe-inspiring gems.

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), शीर्षक/निर्देशार्थ (as a designation)

• पञ्चसप्ततितमः: seventy-fifth
• पञ्चसप्ततितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + सप्तति + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हिमवति: in Himavat (Himalaya)
• हिमवति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• उत्तरदेशे: in the northern region
• उत्तरदेशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• वीर्यम्: seed/energy/virility
• वीर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Kriya-vishesana (Predicative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (fallen)

• सुरद्विषः: of the enemy of the gods
• सुरद्विषः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + द्विष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• संप्राप्तम्: obtained/reached
• संप्राप्तम्: Kriya-vishesana (Predicative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (attained/obtained)

• उत्तमानाम्: of the best
• उत्तमानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• आकरताम्: the state of being a mine/source
• आकरताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थ-परिणाम (state of being a mine/source)

• भीष्मरत्नानाम्: of the formidable gems
• भीष्मरत्नानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Etiological myth: extraordinary natural resources are linked to divine/asuric events; the world is read as a tapestry of cosmic history.

Vedantic Theme: Jagat as līlā-kṣetra: phenomenal origins are narrated through symbolic causality, inviting reverence and interpretive humility.

Application: Approach powerful objects (gems) with respect for provenance; prefer ethically sourced materials and knowledgeable handling, recognizing cultural narratives around origin.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: mountain range/region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.76 (ākara-kathana: origins/mines of gems)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Sura (Devas)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Himalaya (Himavat) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Himavat’s northern region as a sacred, mythically potent landscape where extraordinary origins and resources (like “mines of gems”) are narrated, marking it as a spiritually significant geography in Purāṇic tradition.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey, Yama’s realm, or funerary rites; it functions as narrative scene-setting for a chapter, focusing on mythic geography and origins.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read it as a reminder that Purāṇas often teach through sacred geography and symbolic origins—encouraging reverence for nature (especially mountains) and discernment about the deeper meanings behind mythic imagery.