Shloka 35

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

ततश्च इन्द्रकामावप्युमादिभ्यो दशावरौ / तयोर्मध्ये तु गरुड काम इन्द्राधमः स्मृतः

Transliteration

tataśca indrakāmāvapyumādibhyo daśāvarau / tayormadhye tu garuḍa kāma indrādhamaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Ensuite, ô Garuḍa, même les désirs nommés « Indra » et « Kāma » sont dits dix degrés au-dessous de ceux qui commencent avec Umā. Entre les deux, le désir appelé « Kāma » est tenu pour le plus bas, et « Indra » pour le plus élevé.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Hetu/Adhikaraṇa (हेतु/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• indra-kāmau: Indra and Kāma
• indra-kāmau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: also/even)

• umā-ādibhyaḥ: from Umā and others
• umā-ādibhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रधान (feminine head: umā), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): उमादयः = Umā and others

• daśa-avarau: the two lowest (among the ten)
• daśa-avarau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + avara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘दशानां अवरौ’ (the two lowest among ten)

• tayoḥ: of the two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• garuḍa: O Garuḍa
• garuḍa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kāmaḥ: Kāma
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• indra-adhamaḥ: the lowest (called Indra-adhama)
• indra-adhamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास: ‘इन्द्रः (इव/मध्ये) अधमः’ / ‘इन्द्राधमः’ = Indra-like lowest / lowest among Indras (contextual epithet)

• smṛtaḥ: is said/considered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-कर्तरि प्रयोगः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle, -ta), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; अर्थः: ‘is said/remembered’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hierarchies of impulses/desires: ‘Indra’ and ‘Kāma’ as graded categories relative to higher principles (beginning with Umā).

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-graded manifestations within prakṛti; discernment (viveka) about levels of power/impulse.

Application: Practice inner viveka: recognize that not all desires are equal—some are coarser, some subtler; cultivate alignment with higher, sattvic motivations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28.31-34 (context: Kāma forms and identifications)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Indra
• Kāma
• Umā

FAQs

What is the importance of classifying desire (kāma) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents desire as having gradations, implying that inner impulses differ in spiritual weight and karmic consequence; knowing the hierarchy supports disciplined living and purification.

How does this verse connect to karma and the soul’s post-death journey?

By ranking types of desire as higher or lower, the text indicates that the quality of one’s desires shapes karmic outcomes, which in the Preta Khanda context influences the soul’s condition after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Monitor and refine desires: reduce lower, sense-driven cravings and cultivate higher, dharmic aspirations through restraint, prayer, and ethical action.