Shloka 1

Hari’s Avatāras and the Cosmic Power of Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

दृ नामैकचत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / विंशादीन्पालयामास ह्यवतीर्णो हरिः प्रभुः / दैत्यधर्मस्य नाशार्थं वेदधर्मादिगुप्तये

Transliteration

dṛ nāmaikacatvāriṃśaduttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / viṃśādīnpālayāmāsa hyavatīrṇo hariḥ prabhuḥ / daityadharmasya nāśārthaṃ vedadharmādiguptaye

Translation

Brahmā dit : Le Seigneur Hari, descendu en ce monde, protégea les vingt et d’autres encore, afin de détruire la conduite des démons et de préserver le dharma védique ainsi que les prescriptions sacrées qui s’y rattachent.

Word by Word

• दृ: (marker)
• दृ: Sambandha (Text marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृ (अव्यय/पाठचिह्न)
• Form: अव्ययम्; पाठ-निर्देशकः/चिह्नम् (editorial marker)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः; नामार्थे/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थे (called/namely)

• एकचत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमः: the 141st
• एकचत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-चत्वारिंशत्-उत्तर-शत-तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संख्यासमासः/तत्पुरुषः (शतस्य उत्तरः एकचत्वारिंशत्; तमप्-प्रत्ययान्तः = ordinal)

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

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• विंशादीन्: the twenty (and others)
• विंशादीन्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (विंशतिः आदिः येषाम्)

• पालयामास: protected, maintained
• पालयामास: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle)

• अवतीर्णः: descended, incarnated
• अवतीर्णः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव-√तॄ (धातु) → अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (हरिः)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हरिणः समानाधिकरणम्

• दैत्यधर्मस्य: of the demons' dharma
• दैत्यधर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यस्य धर्मः)

• नाशार्थम्: for the destruction
• नाशार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रयोजनार्थे (अर्थे) = हेतु/उद्देश्य (for the purpose of destruction)

• वेदधर्मादिगुप्तये: for the protection of Vedic dharma etc.
• वेदधर्मादिगुप्तये: Sampradāna (Recipient/Purpose dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-धर्म-आदि-गुप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (वेदधर्मादीनां गुप्तिः)

Speaker

Brahma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari descends to protect the righteous and preserve Vedic dharma, destroying demonic conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-anugraha and dharma-samsthapanarthaya; divine governance sustaining rta/dharma.

Application: Support dharmic institutions and personal discipline; interpret crises as calls to restore ethical order through right action and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana avatara narratives and dharma-protection motifs; Garuda Purana praise of Vishnu as protector of Veda and yajna

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Daityas (demons)
• Vedic Dharma

FAQs

What is the importance of protecting Vedic dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Vishnu’s descent as a divine intervention specifically to preserve Vedic dharma and its allied sacred practices when they are threatened by demonic or anti-dharmic conduct.

How does this verse explain the purpose of Vishnu’s incarnation?

It states that Hari incarnates to destroy daitya-dharma (demonic norms) and to protect veda-dharma—presenting avatāra as restoration of righteous order rather than merely a historical event.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold dharma through ethical conduct and support for authentic sacred learning and practice, while actively rejecting harmful, exploitative, or deceptive forms of “dharma.”