Shloka 8

Devanagari script

इन्द्रो विपश्चिद्देवानां तद्रिपुः पुरुकृत्सरः / जघान हस्तिरूपेण भगवान्मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

indro vipaściddevānāṃ tadripuḥ purukṛtsaraḥ / jaghāna hastirūpeṇa bhagavānmadhusūdanaḥ

Translation

Indra—wise among the gods—had that enemy, the tormentor of many. The Blessed Lord Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu) slew him, assuming the form of an elephant.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विपश्चित्: wise, discerning
• विपश्चित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; इन्द्रस्य विशेषण

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Determinant)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (तद्-रिपुः)

• रिपुः: enemy (of him/that one)
• रिपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तद्रिपुः = तस्य रिपुः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पुरुकृत्सरः: one with many hardships / very troublesome (epithet)
• पुरुकृत्सरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरु + कृत्सर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पुरुकृत्सरः = पुरु(बहु) कृत्सरः (बहु-कृत्सरः)

• जघान: slew
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद; perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• हस्तिरूपेण: in the form of an elephant
• हस्तिरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ति + रूप (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हस्तिरूपेण = हस्तेः रूपेण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मधुसूदनः: slayer of Madhu (Vishnu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मधुसूदनः = मधोः सूदनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu as Madhusūdana protects devas and restores dharma by assuming appropriate forms (rūpa) to remove adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s līlā and anugraha: the Lord’s freedom to manifest forms while remaining transcendent; dharma-saṃsthāpana as cosmic governance.

Application: In adversity, cultivate śaraṇāgati (refuge) and remembrance of Viṣṇu’s protective agency; interpret power as service to dharma, not ego.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.87 surrounding manvantara/lineage material that situates deva conflicts and divine classes

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Devas
• Madhusudana (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Madhusūdana’s intervention in this verse?

It emphasizes Viṣṇu as the divine protector who removes powerful threats to cosmic order, even by assuming extraordinary forms.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana’s broader teachings?

While much of the Garuḍa Purāṇa discusses dharma and post-death realities, it also anchors those teachings in the supremacy of Viṣṇu and his role in restoring order when adharma becomes oppressive.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate discernment and dharma like the devas’ ideal, and remember that sustained harm to others (being a “tormentor of many”) is ultimately self-defeating and opposed by the moral order.