Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

षद्विंशतिसहस्राणि मुनीनामूर्ध्वरेतसाम् / तेषां शिष्यप्रशिष्याणां संख्या वक्तुं न शङ्क्यते

Transliteration

ṣadviṃśatisahasrāṇi munīnāmūrdhvaretasām / teṣāṃ śiṣyapraśiṣyāṇāṃ saṃkhyā vaktuṃ na śaṅkyate

Translation

There are twenty-six thousand sages who are celibate ascetics (with their vital energy turned upward). The number of their disciples and grand-disciples cannot be stated.

Word by Word

• षड्विंशतिसहस्राणि: twenty-six thousand (in number)
• षड्विंशतिसहस्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् + विंशति + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Nominative/Accusative plural; संख्यावाचक-द्विगु (numeral compound)

• मुनीनाम्: of sages
• मुनीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th case), बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• ऊर्ध्वरेतसाम्: of those with upward-flowing semen (celibate/continent)
• ऊर्ध्वरेतसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्वरेतस् (प्रातिपदिक; ऊर्ध्व + रेतस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural; विशेषण (मुनीनाम्)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• शिष्यप्रशिष्याणाम्: of disciples and grand-disciples
• शिष्यप्रशिष्याणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य + प्रशिष्य (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• संख्या: the number
• संख्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st case), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• वक्तुम्: to state
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to say/tell’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• शङ्क्यते: is possible
• शङ्क्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 3rd person singular; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘is possible/can be’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahmacarya/ūrdhva-retas and disciplined asceticism generate spiritual potency and sustain expansive teaching lineages.

Vedantic Theme: Ojas/tejas as a support for steadiness of mind; saṅgha/paramparā as a vehicle for transmitting liberating knowledge and devotion.

Application: Cultivate restraint and conservation of energy (brahmacarya in broad sense), respect teacher-student lineages, and participate in communities that preserve study and practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana frequently praises ṛṣis and paramparā as authorities for dharma and afterlife teachings; numerical hyperbole used to convey magnitude

Characters & Entities

• Munis
• Disciples
• Grand-disciples

FAQs

What is the importance of ūrdhvaretas (ascetic continence) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights ūrdhvaretas as a defining mark of powerful munis, implying that disciplined conservation and sublimation of vital energy supports spiritual attainment and authoritative teaching lineages.

How does this verse explain the growth of spiritual lineages (paramparā)?

By stating a fixed number of munis but an uncountable number of disciples and grand-disciples, the verse emphasizes how a small body of realized teachers can generate vast, expanding traditions of instruction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Respect authentic teacher–student lineages, practice self-restraint and ethical discipline, and prioritize steady spiritual study so that knowledge is preserved and transmitted responsibly.