Shloka 48

Means to Liberation: Supremacy of Hari, Proper Salutations, and Purāṇic Authority

Devanagari script

तृतीयांशं ब्रह्मकाण्डं वदन्ति तेषां मध्ये त्वन्तिमोयं वरिष्ठः / तृतीयांशश्रवणात्पुण्यमाहुस्तुल्यं पुण्यं भागवतस्य विप्राः

Transliteration

tṛtīyāṃśaṃ brahmakāṇḍaṃ vadanti teṣāṃ madhye tvantimoyaṃ variṣṭhaḥ / tṛtīyāṃśaśravaṇātpuṇyamāhustulyaṃ puṇyaṃ bhāgavatasya viprāḥ

Translation

They call the third portion the Brahma-kāṇḍa; and among those parts, this concluding section is the most excellent. The learned brāhmaṇas declare that merely hearing this third portion yields merit equal to the merit of hearing the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.

Word by Word

• तृतीय-अंशम्: the third part
• तृतीय-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘the third part’

• ब्रह्म-काण्डम्: the Brahma section
• ब्रह्म-काण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + काण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘section on Brahman’

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तेषाम्: of them; among those
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• मध्ये: among; in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘in the middle/among’

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• अन्तिमः: the last
• अन्तिमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वरिष्ठः: the best; most excellent
• वरिष्ठः: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अतिशय (superlative)

• तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्: from hearing the third part
• तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘from hearing the third part’

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: object/predicate)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तुल्यम्: equal
• तुल्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘equal’ (used predicatively)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भागवतस्य: of the Bhāgavata
• भागवतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of the Bhāgavata (Purāṇa)’

• विप्राः: O brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थ (vocative sense)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Brahma-kāṇḍa (third part) is highest; hearing it grants great puṇya, equated with hearing the Bhāgavata—implying salvific potency of śravaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa as a means: hearing higher teaching purifies and orients toward Brahman/Bhagavat realization; śāstra-śravaṇa as sādhana.

Application: Commit to regular listening/reading of the Brahma-kāṇḍa portion; treat attentive hearing as a disciplined practice (niyama) with transformative merit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.49 (Veda-tulya fruit from reciting/hearing one-third)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma Kanda
• Bhagavata Purana
• Vipras (Brahmanas)

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing the Brahma Kanda in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that listening to the third portion called the Brahma-kāṇḍa—especially its concluding part—confers great spiritual merit (puṇya).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes śravaṇa (devotional listening) as a dharmic practice that generates puṇya, which the Garuda Purana commonly connects with favorable post-death outcomes and spiritual uplift.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly listen to or study Purāṇic teachings with attention and reverence, treating śravaṇa as a daily discipline that strengthens ethical living (dharma) and inner clarity.