Shloka 50

Means to Liberation: Supremacy of Hari, Proper Salutations, and Purāṇic Authority

Devanagari script

तृतीयांशश्रवणादर्थतश्च पुण्यं चाहुः पठतो वै दशांशम् / ततो वरं मत्स्यपुराणमाहुस्ततो वरं कूर्मपूराणमाहुः

Transliteration

tṛtīyāṃśaśravaṇādarthataśca puṇyaṃ cāhuḥ paṭhato vai daśāṃśam / tato varaṃ matsyapurāṇamāhustato varaṃ kūrmapūrāṇamāhuḥ

Translation

On dit que l’écoute ne fût-ce que d’un tiers, avec l’intelligence du sens, confère du mérite; et pour celui qui le récite, certes, on n’obtient qu’un dixième de ce mérite. Pourtant, ils déclarent le Matsya Purāṇa supérieur, et le Kūrma Purāṇa supérieur encore à celui-là.

Word by Word

• तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्: from hearing the third part
• तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• अर्थतः: as to the meaning; essentially
• अर्थतः: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्थतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb) ‘in terms of meaning/essentially’

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• पठतः: of one who reads
• पठतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठ् (धातु) → पठत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) used substantively; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• दश-अंशम्: a tenth portion
• दश-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु ‘a tenth part’

• ततः: than that; thereafter
• ततः: Comparison point (तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘thereafter/than that’

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; comparative sense ‘better’

• मत्स्य-पुराणम्: the Matsya Purāṇa
• मत्स्य-पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘Matsya Purāṇa’

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ततः: than that
• ततः: Comparison point (तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कूर्म-पुराणम्: the Kūrma Purāṇa
• कूर्म-पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘Kūrma Purāṇa’

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa with artha-bodha and pāṭha generate puṇya; scriptures are graded by guṇa-oriented efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva as a purifier of antaḥkaraṇa; śravaṇa–manana as preparatory means (sādhana) supporting bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Prioritize listening with comprehension; maintain a disciplined recitation practice; choose texts that increase sattva and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.51-54 (guṇa-based Purāṇa classification and mumuṣu guidance)

Characters & Entities

• Matsya Purana
• Kurma Purana

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing (śravaṇa) a Purāṇa according to this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse states that hearing even a portion—especially with understanding—produces spiritual merit (puṇya), emphasizing attentive listening as a valid means of gaining benefit.

How does this verse compare recitation (pāṭha) and listening (śravaṇa) in terms of merit?

It distinguishes forms of engagement: hearing a significant portion with meaning is praised for merit, while recitation is also meritorious but described here as yielding a specified fractional result (daśāṁśa, “one-tenth”).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize meaningful listening and comprehension during scripture readings or Purāṇa discourses, and complement it with regular recitation—focusing on understanding rather than mere performance.