Shloka 1

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

नाम पञ्चनवतितमो ऽध्यायः श्रागरुडमहापुराणम्- ९६ याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच / वक्ष्ये सङ्करजात्यादिगृहस्थादि विधिं परम् / विप्रान्मूर्धावषिक्तो हि क्षात्त्रियायां विशः स्त्रियाम्

Transliteration

nāma pañcanavatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrāgaruḍamahāpurāṇam- 96 yājñavalkya uvāca / vakṣye saṅkarajātyādigṛhasthādi vidhiṃ param / viprānmūrdhāvaṣikto hi kṣāttriyāyāṃ viśaḥ striyām

Translation

Yājñavalkya said: “I shall proclaim the supreme ordinances concerning mixed births (saṅkara-jātis) and the disciplines of the āśramas, beginning with the householder’s way. Truly, from a brāhmaṇa father and a kṣatriya mother is born the ‘mūrdhāvaṣikta’; and from a brāhmaṇa father and a vaiśya mother is born another mixed class.”

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—पदपूरण/उपपद (marker: ‘named/entitled’)

• पञ्चनवतितमः: ninety-fifth
• पञ्चनवतितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चनवति + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (ordinal)

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

• श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम्: the Śrī Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa
• श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम्: Samjna (Name/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + गरुड + महापुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ग्रन्थनाम (title)

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• वक्ष्ये: I shall explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सङ्करजात्यादिगृहस्थादि: (concerning) mixed castes etc. and householders etc.
• सङ्करजात्यादिगृहस्थादि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्करजाति + आदि + गृहस्थ + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार), षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/समासान्त ‘आदि’ सहित; द्वितीया एकवचन (विधिं विशेषयति)

• विधिम्: rule/ordinance
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विधिम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विप्रात्: from a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• मूर्धावषिक्तः: the Mūrdhāvaṣikta (one anointed on the head)
• मूर्धावषिक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् + अव-षिच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘one consecrated on the head’ (a mixed-caste designation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—हेतु/निश्चयार्थक (particle: indeed/for)

• क्षात्रियायाम्: in a kṣatriya woman
• क्षात्रियायाम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विशः: a vaiśya
• विशः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वैश्य’ अर्थे (a vaiśya)

• स्त्रियाम्: in a woman
• स्त्रियाम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘क्षात्रियायाम्’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण-निर्देश (woman)

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Varṇa-saṅkara taxonomy and gṛhastha-ādi vidhi: defining mixed social origins and their named categories as part of social-legal dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha via dharma-niyama; emphasis on social order rather than nondual liberation.

Application: Understand the text’s historical dharma framework as a normative taxonomy; apply with critical discernment today by focusing on ethical conduct and social responsibility rather than birth-based hierarchy.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96 (chapter heading and ensuing verses 1.96.2–1.96.4 continuing saṅkara-jāti list).

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Mūrdhāvaṣikta

FAQs

What is the importance of saṅkara-jāti discussion in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a dharma-oriented section that defines mixed social origins and links them to prescribed duties, starting with gṛhastha conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead it frames social and ritual duties (dharma) that traditionally shape karmic outcomes discussed elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read it as a reminder that ethical discipline and responsible household life are treated as foundational; apply the gṛhastha-vidhi emphasis as guidance for integrity, duty, and social responsibility.