Shloka 21

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

अष्टमे मेरुदेव्यां तु नाभेर्जात उरुक्रमः / दर्शयन्वर्त्म नारीणां सर्वाश्रमनमस्कृतम्

Transliteration

aṣṭame merudevyāṃ tu nābherjāta urukramaḥ / darśayanvartma nārīṇāṃ sarvāśramanamaskṛtam

Translation

Pada kelahiran kedelapan, dari Nābhi dan Merudevī lahirlah Urukrama (Bhagavān Viṣṇu). Ia menyingkap jalan dharma bagi para wanita, yang dihormati oleh semua āśrama.

Word by Word

• aṣṭame: in the eighth (incarnation)
• aṣṭame: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम् (ordinal adjective)

• merudevyām: in Merudevī
• merudevyām: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: merudevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle); विरोध/अन्वयार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• nābheḥ: of Nābhi
• nābheḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्

• jātaḥ: born
• jātaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + jāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; ‘born’

• urukramaḥ: Urukrama (Viṣṇu)
• urukramaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uru + krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः (one whose strides are vast)

• darśayan: showing
• darśayan: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + darśayat (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदी

• vartma: path
• vartma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vartman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• nārīṇām: of women
• nārīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम्

• sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam: revered by all stages of life
• sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + āśrama + namaskṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; समासः—(सर्वेषाम् आश्रमाणां) नमस्कृतम् (honoured by all āśramas)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrative praise within the dialogue to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu as Urukrama reveals a sanctioned path (vṛtma) for women that is respected by all āśramas.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as dharma-pravartaka (the Lord as revealer/sustainer of righteous order) within the world-play (līlā).

Application: Uphold dignity and ethical conduct for women within household and society; align personal duties with broader āśrama-based social responsibilities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: genealogical-sacred setting (royal/primordial lineage)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.1 (avatar enumeration context)

Characters & Entities

• Nābhi
• Merudevī
• Urukrama (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Urukrama in this Garuda Purana verse?

Urukrama (Vishnu) is presented as the divine revealer of dharma—here, specifically the proper conduct/path (vartma) that is respected across all āśramas.

How does this verse describe the ‘path for women’ (nārīṇāṃ vartma)?

It emphasizes a dharmic way of life for women that aligns with and is honored by the wider āśrama framework, implying social-spiritual harmony rather than an isolated rule-set.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Adopt dharma as a consistent ethical path—truthfulness, responsibility, and devotion—so one’s life is respected across family, society, and spiritual practice (all ‘āśramas’).