Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

शृणुध्वं वै तं विशेषं च विप्रास्त्र्यंशैर्युक्तं गारुडाख्यं पुराणम् / आद्यांशं वै कर्मकाण्डं वदन्ति द्वितीयांशं धर्मकाण्डं तमाहुः

Transliteration

śṛṇudhvaṃ vai taṃ viśeṣaṃ ca viprāstryaṃśairyuktaṃ gāruḍākhyaṃ purāṇam / ādyāṃśaṃ vai karmakāṇḍaṃ vadanti dvitīyāṃśaṃ dharmakāṇḍaṃ tamāhuḥ

Translation

«Oh brāhmaṇas, escuchad esta enseñanza distintiva: el Purāṇa llamado Garuḍa Purāṇa está dispuesto en tres partes. Declaran que su primera porción es el Karma-kāṇḍa, la sección de ritos y acciones; y su segunda porción la llaman Dharma-kāṇḍa, la sección del dharma (deber recto y ley sagrada).»

Word by Word

• शृणुध्वम्: hear (listen)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (plural), परस्मैपद; √श्रु ‘to hear’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• तम्: that (it)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• विशेषम्: distinction; special point
• विशेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विप्राः: O brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• त्रि-अंशैः: with three parts
• त्रि-अंशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमास (numeral compound) ‘three parts’

• युक्तम्: endowed (with)
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘joined/endowed’

• गारुड-आख्यम्: called ‘Gāruḍa’
• गारुड-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गारुड (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देशार्थ ‘named Garuḍa (Gāruḍa)’

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa (text)
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

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

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

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

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

• तम्: that (as such)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (refers to the second part)

• आहुः: they call; they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘they have said/they call’

Speaker

Suta (narrator) addressing the assembled Brahmanas (vipras) in a discourse context

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Garuḍa Purāṇa is tri-partite; first is karma-kāṇḍa (rites/actions), second is dharma-kāṇḍa (law/duty).

Vedantic Theme: Integration of pravṛtti (ritual/action) and dharma as preparatory disciplines supporting higher realization.

Application: Use the text as a staged curriculum: begin with disciplined action/ritual competence, then refine conduct and ethical-legal dharma before approaching higher metaphysics.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.48 (third: brahma-kāṇḍa; excellence)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Vipras (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Garuda Purana’s division into karma-kanda and dharma-kanda?

This verse frames the text as systematically organized: one portion guides ritual/action (karma-kāṇḍa) and another guides righteous conduct and sacred law (dharma-kāṇḍa), helping readers apply it both in practice and ethics.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: by identifying a karma-kāṇḍa section, it signals that prescribed rites and actions are treated as a structured means affecting outcomes, while dharma-kāṇḍa establishes the ethical foundation that shapes one’s destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse as a study guide: follow the ritual guidance with clarity (karma-kāṇḍa) while prioritizing daily ethical discipline and duty (dharma-kāṇḍa) so practice and conduct remain aligned.