Shloka 1

Hymns to Nārāyaṇa: Humility, Bhakti, Yoga, and the Guṇas

Devanagari script

नाम सप्तमो ऽध्यायः क्रतोरनन्तरं जातो मित्रो (श्रो) नाम खगेश्वर / नारायणं जगद्योनिं स्तोतुं समुपचक्रमे

Transliteration

nāma saptamo 'dhyāyaḥ kratoranantaraṃ jāto mitro (śro) nāma khageśvara / nārāyaṇaṃ jagadyoniṃ stotuṃ samupacakrame

Translation

Después del sacrificio (Kratu), surgió el séptimo capítulo. Entonces el señor de las aves, llamado Mitra (según se oye), comenzó a entonar alabanzas a Nārāyaṇa, el seno-origen del universo.

Word by Word

• नाम: namely, called
• नाम: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/particle: ‘called/namely’)

• सप्तमः: seventh
• सप्तमः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम् (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• क्रतोः: of Kratu
• क्रतोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: immediately after)

• जातः: was born/arose
• जातः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (PPP used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• मित्रः: Mitra
• मित्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नाम-शब्दः (appositive marker: ‘by name’)

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जगद्योनिम्: the source of the world
• जगद्योनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (जगतः योनिḥ)

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तः (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थः (purpose)

• समुपचक्रमे: began/undertook
• समुपचक्रमे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; उपसर्गौ: सम्+उप

Speaker

Suta/Narrator (textual narrator introducing the scene; Garuda is about to speak)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After ritual action, the highest orientation is praise of Nārāyaṇa, the source of the universe—devotion as the culmination and inner meaning of sacrifice.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman/Īśvara as jagad-kāraṇa (material and efficient cause) expressed theistically as Nārāyaṇa; karma (kratu) finds fulfillment in bhakti and right understanding.

Application: Let external duties/rituals conclude in gratitude and remembrance of the divine source; begin new undertakings with a short stotra or nāma-smaraṇa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: textual chapter-opening / ritual aftermath

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: transitions from ritual topics to stotra/bhakti sections (general internal pattern)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Khageshvara)
• Narayana (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of praising Narayana at the start of a section in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the upcoming teaching as rooted in Nārāyaṇa—the cosmic source—so the discourse begins with a devotional invocation that sanctifies the narration.

How does this verse explain the narrative flow between Garuda and Vishnu?

It functions as a transition: the narrator notes that Garuda (khageśvara) is about to begin a hymn of praise to Nārāyaṇa, setting up Garuda’s role as the questioner/devotee in the dialogue.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin study, rituals, or important undertakings with remembrance/praise of the divine source (Nārāyaṇa), cultivating clarity, humility, and devotional focus.