Shloka 43

Gāruḍa-Māhātmya and Tārkṣya-Stotra: Fruits of Hearing/Reciting and the Power of Garuḍa’s Praise

Devanagari script

सूताच्छ्रुत्वा शौनकस्तुनौमिषे मुनिभिः क्रतौ / अहं ब्रहेति संध्यायन्मुक्तोभूद्गरुडध्वजात्

Transliteration

sūtācchrutvā śaunakastunaumiṣe munibhiḥ kratau / ahaṃ braheti saṃdhyāyanmuktobhūdgaruḍadhvajāt

Translation

スータからそれを聞いたシャウナカは、ナイミシャにおける聖仙たちの祭式の会座のさなか、黄昏（サンディヤー）に「我はブラフマンなり」との悟りを観想し、ガルダを旗印とする主ヴィシュヌの恩寵によって解脱を得た。

Word by Word

• सूतात्: from Sūta
• सूतात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done earlier)

• शौनकः: Śaunaka
• शौनकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• नैमिषे: in Naimiṣa
• नैमिषे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• मुनिभिः: by sages
• मुनिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• क्रतौ: in the sacrifice
• क्रतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ब्रह: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह: Karmadhāraya/Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रहन्/ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; (पाठभेद: ब्रह्म)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• संध्यायन्: meditating
• संध्यायन्: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: संध्याय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; ‘meditating/pondering’

• मुक्तः: liberated
• मुक्तः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (released/liberated)

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गरुडध्वजात्: from (the Lord) whose banner is Garuḍa
• गरुडध्वजात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गरुडस्य ध्वजः), पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the result for Śaunaka at Naimiṣāraṇya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Liberation arises through Brahma-jñāna (‘ahaṃ brahma’) supported by śravaṇa and sealed by Bhagavat-prasāda (Garuda-dhvaja Viṣṇu).

Vedantic Theme: Mahāvākya-realization and jīvanmukti/kaivalya framed within bhakti-compatible grace (prasāda) theology.

Application: Maintain sandhyā-time contemplation; practice disciplined listening to śāstra, then nididhyāsana on non-duality while cultivating devotion to Viṣṇu as the giver of steadiness and release.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest-tirtha / sacrificial ground (यज्ञशाला)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (contextual): Naimiṣa-saṃvāda framing passages; mokṣa-by-jñāna sections; Viṣṇu-nāma and prasāda motifs recurring across Uttara-khaṇḍa/Upadeśa portions (edition-dependent).

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Śaunaka
• Naimiṣāraṇya sages
• Vishnu (Garuḍadhvaja)

FAQs

What is the importance of 'ahaṃ brahmeti' in the Garuda Purana?

In this verse it is presented as a liberating contemplation: meditating on the truth “I am Brahman” leads to moksha when grounded in right hearing (śravaṇa) and sustained reflection.

How does this verse explain the path of liberation?

It outlines a concise path: hearing sacred instruction (from Sūta), practicing contemplative meditation at the proper time (sandhyā), and attaining release by the Lord’s grace (Garuḍadhvaja, Viṣṇu).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly study authentic scripture, keep a daily meditation discipline (especially at dawn/dusk), and cultivate God-centered remembrance—aiming for inner detachment and ethical living aligned with dharma.