Shloka 76

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

Devanagari script

अतो नम्यो वायुरपि पुराणादौ द्विजोत्तमाः / भारती वाक्यरूपत्वान्नम्या वायोरनन्तरम्

Transliteration

ato namyo vāyurapi purāṇādau dvijottamāḥ / bhāratī vākyarūpatvānnamyā vāyoranantaram

Translation

Ainsi, ô meilleurs des deux-fois-nés, dès l’ouverture de ce Purāṇa, Vāyu aussi doit recevoir la salutation; et Bhāratī (Sarasvatī), étant la forme même de la parole, doit être vénérée aussitôt après Vāyu.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/हेतु (therefore)

• नम्यः: to be bowed to
• नम्यः: Vidhyartha (विधेय/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: namya (कृदन्त; √nam नम्)
• Form: कर्तव्यार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वायुः: Vāyu
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (“also”)

• पुराणादौ: at the beginning of the Purāṇa (etc.)
• पुराणादौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa-ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (पुराणे आदौ/पुराणादिषु)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of twice-born (Brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana/Karta (सम्बोधनार्थ-प्रयोग/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija-uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः)

• भारती: Bhāratī (speech/Sarasvatī)
• भारती: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāratī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (सरस्वती/वाणी)

• वाक्यरूपत्वात्: because of being in the form of sentences/speech
• वाक्यरूपत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya-rūpa-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ; समास: तत्पुरुष (वाक्यरूपं तत्त्वम्)

• नम्या: to be bowed to
• नम्या: Vidhyartha (विधेय/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: namyā (कृदन्त; √nam नम्)
• Form: कर्तव्यार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वायोः: after/of Vāyu
• वायोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anantara (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative: “immediately after”)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) addressing the assembled sages (dvijottamāḥ)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Salutation to Vāyu and then to Bhāratī (Sarasvatī) because vāk (speech) is the vehicle of śāstra and prāṇa is the sustaining force of life and recitation.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-brahma and the sanctity of vāk; prāṇa as a vital manifestation within the cosmic order supporting knowledge.

Application: Before study/recitation, steady breath (prāṇic composure) and invoke clarity of speech; speak truthfully and carefully as a sacred discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.75 (Śrī-namana); Garuda Purana 3.1.78-79 (Vyāsa-namana and its priority after Viṣṇu)

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu
• Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)

FAQs

Why is Vāyu saluted at the start of the Garuda Purana?

This verse places Vāyu among the deities to be honored at the Purāṇa’s commencement, linking right recitation and life-breath (prāṇa) with auspicious beginnings.

What does the verse mean by Bhāratī being ‘the form of speech’?

Bhāratī (Sarasvatī) is identified with vāk (sacred speech), implying that clear, truthful, and effective scriptural narration depends on her grace.

Practical application of this teaching today?

Begin study, chanting, or recitation by honoring prāṇa (steady breath, purity) and speech (clarity, non-harmful words), treating learning as a sacred act.