Shloka 42

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

स्पृष्ट्वास्पृष्ट्वा हरिनिर्माल्यगन्धं पुनः पुना रुद्धकण्ठो बभूव / रुरोद रुद्रो भयकंपिताङ्गः कथं पुनः स्पर्शनं स्यात्सदा मे

Transliteration

spṛṣṭvāspṛṣṭvā harinirmālyagandhaṃ punaḥ punā ruddhakaṇṭho babhūva / ruroda rudro bhayakaṃpitāṅgaḥ kathaṃ punaḥ sparśanaṃ syātsadā me

Translation

Una y otra vez, tras tocar —y luego ser privado de— la fragancia de los restos sagrados (Nirmalya) de Hari, la garganta de Rudra se ahogó. Rudra lloró, temblando de asombro y miedo: "¿Cómo podré tener ese contacto de nuevo, para siempre?"

Word by Word

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) ‘having touched’

• अस्पृष्ट्वा: having not touched
• अस्पृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्- + √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त with privative ‘a-’ = ‘having not touched’

• हरि-निर्माल्य-गन्धम्: the fragrance of Hari’s (offering-)remnants
• हरि-निर्माल्य-गन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (accusative); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘हरेः निर्माल्यस्य गन्धः’ = fragrance of Hari’s garland/remnants

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• पुनः: again (repeatedly)
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय; ‘पुना पुना’ = again and again

• रुद्ध-कण्ठः: (with) choked throat
• रुद्ध-कण्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्ध (कृदन्त; √रुध् धातु) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; कर्मधारय ‘रुद्धः कण्ठः यस्य’/‘रुद्धकण्ठः’ = with choked throat

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुरोद: wept
• रुरोद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुद्रः: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (nominative)

• भय-कम्पित-अङ्गः: whose limbs trembled with fear
• भय-कम्पित-अङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कम्पित (कृदन्त; √कम्प् धातु) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभावः ‘भयेन कम्पितानि अङ्गानि यस्य’ = whose limbs tremble from fear

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: how)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय (again)

• स्पर्शनम्: touching/contact
• स्पर्शनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक; from √स्पृश्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (nominative)

• स्यात्: may be / could happen
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• मे: for me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (genitive/dative enclitic)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrative voice describing Rudra’s reaction, within Vishnu’s instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nirmālya (Vishnu’s sacred remnants) carries transformative sanctity; contact with it evokes bhāva (devotional ecstasy) and viraha (pain of separation).

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as direct experiential knowledge (anubhava) that overwhelms ego; the sacred is mediated through prasāda/nirmālya.

Application: Revere and receive prasāda/nirmālya with mindfulness; cultivate steady remembrance so that contact is not merely episodic but continuous through smaraṇa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (3.18) repeated motif: nirmālya-gandha causing ruddha-kaṇṭha (choked voice) and tears

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Nirmalya

FAQs

What is the importance of Hari’s nirmālya (sacred remnants) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse portrays even Rudra overwhelmed by the fragrance and contact of Hari’s nirmālya, highlighting it as a powerful purifier and devotion-awakener—valued for preparing the mind and subtle impressions for a fearless, auspicious passage.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s path after death in the Garuda Purana?

By emphasizing trembling awe and longing for divine contact, it points to bhakti-based purification as a support for the jīva’s post-death journey—reducing fear and strengthening remembrance of Hari, which the Preta Kanda repeatedly treats as spiritually protective.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain devotional practices connected to Vishnu—respectfully receiving and preserving prasāda/nirmālya, cultivating remembrance and reverence—so the mind becomes steadier, less fear-driven, and more dharmic during life and at life’s end.