Shloka 13

Manvantara Catalog: Fourteen Manus, Their Sons, Saptarishis, Indras, Deva-Hosts, and the 18 Vidyās

Devanagari script

मत्स्यरूपी हरिर्विष्णुस्तं जघान च दानवम् / तामसस्य मनोः पुत्रा जानुजङ्घो ऽथ निर्भयः

Transliteration

matsyarūpī harirviṣṇustaṃ jaghāna ca dānavam / tāmasasya manoḥ putrā jānujaṅgho 'tha nirbhayaḥ

Translation

Vishnu, le Hari, prenant la forme du Poisson (Matsya), tua ce démon. Puis (vient) Jānujangha, le fils intrépide de Tāmasa Manu.

Word by Word

• मत्स्यरूपी: having the form of a fish
• मत्स्यरूपी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular) — हरिः/विष्णुः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular) — हरिः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• जघान: slew/killed
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular) परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानवम्: the demon
• दानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Accusative singular) — ‘तम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• तामसस्य: of Tāmasa
• तामसस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Genitive singular) — मनुः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मनोः: of Manu
• मनोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Genitive singular)

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• जानुजङ्घः: Jānujaṅgha (name)
• जानुजङ्घः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular) — पुत्रेषु एकः (name)

• अथ: then/next
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावक (then/now)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular) — जानुजङ्घः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu’s avatāra acts to remove adharma (Dānava) and restore order; divine protection is responsive to cosmic imbalance.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as protector (rakṣaka) who manifests through avatāra for loka-saṅgraha; the Lord’s līlā within māyā while remaining transcendent.

Application: Cultivate remembrance of Viṣṇu as protector in crises; interpret ‘inner demons’ (pride, violence) as Pralamba-like forces to be subdued through disciplined devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mythic oceanic expanse

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.87.12 (Pralamba named); Garuda Purana 1.87 (continuing Manu/Indra/ṛṣi enumerations)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Matsya (Fish-avatara)
• Danava (demon)
• Tāmasa Manu
• Jānujangha

FAQs

What is the importance of Matsya (Fish) form in the Garuda Purana?

This verse recalls Vishnu’s Matsya form as a protector of cosmic order, emphasizing that divine intervention removes demonic obstacles to dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it frames the Garuda Purana’s teachings within a dharmic universe where divine guardianship and moral order underpin later discussions on karma and post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate fearlessness grounded in dharma—recognizing that protection of truth and right conduct is central to spiritual life.