Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

पश्चाद्वायोः सुप्रतीकं च सम्यङ् निर्माल्यशेषेण हरेः समर्चयेत् / पृथक्च स्रग्धूपविलेपनादिपूजां प्रकुर्वन्ति च ये विमूढः

Transliteration

paścādvāyoḥ supratīkaṃ ca samyaṅ nirmālyaśeṣeṇa hareḥ samarcayet / pṛthakca sragdhūpavilepanādipūjāṃ prakurvanti ca ye vimūḍhaḥ

Translation

Sesudah itu, lambang suci Vāyu pun hendaknya dipuja dengan benar memakai sisa persembahan suci (nirmālya) dari pemujaan Hari. Adapun mereka yang bodoh melakukan pemujaan terpisah dengan kalung bunga, dupa, lulur, dan sebagainya, adalah tersesat.

Word by Word

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (temporal/sequence adverb): 'afterwards'

• vāyoḥ: of Vāyu
• vāyoḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• supratīkam: the auspicious emblem (image)
• supratīkam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-pratīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: सु + प्रतीक (good/auspicious emblem)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• samyaṅ: properly
• samyaṅ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyañc (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb): 'properly, duly'

• nirmālya-śeṣeṇa: with the remnants of the offerings
• nirmālya-śeṣeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirmālya-śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: निर्माल्यस्य शेषः (remnant of offerings/flowers)

• hareḥ: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hareḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• samarcayet: should worship
• samarcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: अर्च् (to worship) उपसर्ग: सम्

• pṛthak: separately
• pṛthak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, भेदवाचक (adverb of separation): 'separately'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• srak-dhūpa-vilepana-ādi-pūjām: worship with garlands, incense, anointing, etc.
• srak-dhūpa-vilepana-ādi-pūjām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: srak + dhūpa + vilepana + ādi + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समास (समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्राय): स्रक् (garland) + धूप (incense) + विलेपन (anointing) + आदि (etc.) + पूजा (worship)

• prakurvanti: perform
• prakurvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातु: कृ (to do) उपसर्ग: प्र

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• vimūḍhāḥ: the deluded (people)
• vimūḍhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi-mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेष्यरूपेण (as substantive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vāyu’s emblem is honored secondarily using Hari’s worship-remnants; treating Vāyu as independently worship-worthy with separate full offerings is delusion.

Vedantic Theme: Hierarchy of worship (tāratamya) and śeṣatva: subsidiary reverence is valid when subordinated to the Supreme.

Application: Complete worship in proper order; offer secondary honors using remnants from the primary deity’s worship; avoid parallel ‘independent’ cultic worship that contradicts the intended theology.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space/altar

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.30; Garuda Purana 3.1.32; Garuda Purana 3.1.33

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of using nirmālya (remnant offerings) in Garuda Purana worship?

This verse teaches that remnants from Hari’s worship are sanctified and may be used for related reverence (here, Vāyu’s emblem), emphasizing continuity and hierarchy in ritual rather than independent, competing offerings.

Does this verse reject worship of Vāyu or other devas?

It does not reject honoring Vāyu; it instructs that such honor be done properly and in relation to Hari, warning against treating secondary worship as separate from or equal to the supreme devotion to Viṣṇu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep worship focused and principled: avoid performative or fragmented rituals done for display; align subsidiary practices with a clear spiritual center (īśvara-bhakti) and use offerings respectfully without waste.