Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

सर्वत्र मुख्यस्त्वधिकोन्यतोपि स एव नम्यो न च शङ्कराद्याः / नमन्ति ये ऽविनयाच्छङ्करं तु विनायकं चण्डिकां रेणुकां च

Transliteration

sarvatra mukhyastvadhikonyatopi sa eva namyo na ca śaṅkarādyāḥ / namanti ye 'vinayācchaṅkaraṃ tu vināyakaṃ caṇḍikāṃ reṇukāṃ ca

Translation

ただ御一人こそが遍く至上であり—他のすべてを超えて—真に帰敬されるべき方である。シャṅカラ等の神々ではない。しかるに、正しい分別と謙虚さを欠き、無作法のゆえにシャṅカラ、ヴィナーヤカ、チャンディカー、レーヌカーを（最高として）礼拝する者は、究竟の主を悟らない。

Word by Word

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Adverb (देशवाचक)

• mukhyaḥ: chief
• mukhyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Conjunction/particle (निपात) contrastive

• adhikaḥ: superior
• adhikaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• anyataḥ: than others/from elsewhere
• anyataḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-अर्थ)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• saḥ: he (that one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Particle (निपात) emphasis

• namyaḥ: worthy of bowing
• namyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: namya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Negation particle (निषेध)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• śaṅkara-ādyāḥ: Śaṅkara and others
• śaṅkara-ādyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘Śaṅkara and others’

• namanti: bow (down)
• namanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

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

• avinayāt: out of disrespect/impudence
• avinayāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avinaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaṅkaram: Śaṅkara
• śaṅkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Particle (निपात) contrastive

• vināyakam: Vināyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• vināyakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• caṇḍikām: Caṇḍikā
• caṇḍikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• reṇukām: Reṇukā
• reṇukām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: reṇukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Paratva-niścaya: Viṣṇu alone is supreme and the proper ultimate object of praṇāma; misdirected ultimacy stems from lack of discernment and humility.

Vedantic Theme: Eka-īśvara-vāda (one supreme Lord) and the need for viveka in choosing the highest refuge.

Application: Cultivate discernment (viveka) and humility (vinaya): honor many forms, but keep the ultimate allegiance to the highest principle you accept as supreme; avoid ego-driven sectarian contempt.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: doctrinal declaration within discourse

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.23 (reframing other deities as Vaiṣṇavas)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shankara (Shiva)
• Vinayaka (Ganesha)
• Chandika (Devi)
• Renuka

FAQs

What is the importance of recognizing the Supreme Lord in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that ultimate reverence belongs to the Supreme alone; treating other deities as the highest is presented as a mistake in spiritual discernment.

How does this verse fit the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue in the Garuda Purana?

It functions as direct instruction from Vishnu to Garuda on correct theological orientation—placing the Supreme above all subsidiary divine forms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain respectful reverence for all deities while keeping one’s ultimate devotion and spiritual goal anchored in the Supreme, avoiding confusion about what is final versus supportive in practice.