Shloka 12

Manvantara Catalog: Fourteen Manus, Their Sons, Saptarishis, Indras, Deva-Hosts, and the 18 Vidyās

Devanagari script

पञ्च देवगणाः प्रोक्ता सर्वे द्वादशकास्तु ते / इन्द्रः स्वशान्तिस्तच्छुक्रः प्रलम्बो नाम दानवः

Transliteration

pañca devagaṇāḥ proktā sarve dvādaśakāstu te / indraḥ svaśāntistacchukraḥ pralambo nāma dānavaḥ

Translation

Five groups of deities are proclaimed—each consisting of twelve. Among them are Indra, Svaśānti, and Śukra; and also a Dānava named Pralamba.

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural, masculine) — देवगणाः इति विशेष्यस्य संख्या

• देवगणाः: groups of gods
• देवगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• प्रोक्ताः: are said/declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् — ‘कथिताः/उक्ताः’

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural) — देवगणाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• द्वादशकाः: twelve in number
• द्वादशकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural) — ‘द्वादशसंख्यकाः’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• स्वशान्तिः: Svaśānti (name)
• स्वशान्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.) — ‘शुक्रः’ इत्यस्य पूर्वपद-निर्देशक (in compound)

• शुक्रः: Śukra (name)
• शुक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• प्रलम्बः: Pralamba (name)
• प्रलम्बः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositive marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable used to indicate naming)

• दानवः: a demon (Dānava)
• दानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Knowing the ordered groupings of divine beings as part of Purāṇic cosmology (saṅkhyā/gaṇa-vyavasthā).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sṛṣṭi as an intelligible order; names-and-forms (nāma-rūpa) as a map for contemplation without being ultimate reality.

Application: Use as a mnemonic/cosmology study passage; reflect on order (ṛta) and hierarchy in the universe to cultivate steadiness and reverence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.87 (suragaṇa/ṛṣi/Manu-lineage listings continuing in adjacent verses)

Characters & Entities

• Deva-gana (groups of deities)
• Indra
• Svaśānti
• Śukra
• Pralamba (Dānava)

FAQs

What is the importance of grouping deities into sets of twelve in the Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates a formal cosmological taxonomy—deity-hosts are organized in fixed numerical groupings (twelve), helping structure later descriptions of worlds, rulers, and their functions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by mapping the cosmic administration (deva-groups and named figures), it provides the background framework used elsewhere in the text when describing how beings, realms, and authorities relate to post-death journeys.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder that Hindu cosmology is systematic: when studying rituals or afterlife teachings, track categories and names carefully to avoid mixing roles of devas, gurus, and asuric beings.