Shloka 38

Mahālakṣmī’s Forms, Brahmā’s Fourfold Origin, Vāyu’s Names and Soteriology, and Bhāratī’s Manifestations

Devanagari script

अनादिकालमारभ्य कर्मजन्या च वासना / मोक्षाधिकारिणः सर्वे कुर्वते कस्य पूजनम्

Transliteration

anādikālamārabhya karmajanyā ca vāsanā / mokṣādhikāriṇaḥ sarve kurvate kasya pūjanam

Translation

Desde un tiempo sin comienzo, persisten las tendencias latentes (vāsanās) nacidas del karma. Por ello, todos los que están capacitados para la liberación, ¿a quién rinden culto?

Word by Word

• अनादि-कालम्: beginningless time
• अनादि-कालम्: अपादान/काल-सीमा (starting-point sense with आरभ्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: अनादिः कालः (कर्मधारय), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative; with आरभ्य)

• आरभ्य: starting from/since
• आरभ्य: काल (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु) → आरभ्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप (gerund/absolutive used adverbially): ‘having begun from/since’

• कर्म-जन्या: born of karma
• कर्म-जन्या: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मणः जन्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (agreeing with वासना)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध-निर्देशक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (and)

• वासना: latent tendency/impression
• वासना: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• मोक्ष-अधिकारिणः: those qualified for liberation
• मोक्ष-अधिकारिणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: मोक्षे अधिकारः येषाम्/मोक्षस्य अधिकारिणः (सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण/सर्वनामसदृश (all), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (agreeing with अधिकारिणः)

• कुर्वते: do/perform
• कुर्वते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• कस्य: of whom
• कस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम, षष्ठी एकवचन

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative; object of कुर्वते)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) asking Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Anādi karma-born vāsanās persist; even mumukṣus must examine whom/what they truly worship—often the hidden deity is desire/ego.

Vedantic Theme: Anādi avidyā and vāsanā; adhyāsa (superimposition) shaping devotion; need for viveka to redirect worship to Brahman/Īśvara.

Application: Identify recurring cravings and identity-patterns; treat them as objects to be witnessed and offered; align worship with liberation-intent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.16.39 (guru-bodha destroys vāsanā; yoga leads to mokṣa); Garuda Purana 3.16.40 (kāmya worship distorts knowledge)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of vāsanā (latent tendencies) in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that vāsanās arise from karma and continue from beginningless time, implying that spiritual practice must address deep-rooted impressions, not only external conduct.

How does this verse relate to the path toward moksha?

It frames moksha as requiring eligibility (adhikāra) and raises the central question of the proper object of worship—pointing toward a liberating devotion that can transcend karma-born conditioning.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe recurring habits and reactions as karma-born vāsanās, then commit to steady worship/discipline and ethical action that reduce those impressions rather than reinforcing them.