Shloka 16

Bhadrā and Mitravindā: The Fruits of Namaskāra, Pradakṣiṇā, Hari-nāma, and Śravaṇa of Bhāgavata Kathā

Devanagari script

एतच्छ्रुत्वा नलो वीन्द्र पुत्रीवाक्यं सुनिर्मलम् / नमस्कारं च कृतवान्यथाशक्त्या प्रदक्षिणम्

Transliteration

etacchrutvā nalo vīndra putrīvākyaṃ sunirmalam / namaskāraṃ ca kṛtavānyathāśaktyā pradakṣiṇam

Translation

鳥の王（ガルダ）よ、乙女の語ったこの上なく清浄な言葉を聞いて、ナラは恭しくナマスカーラ（礼拝）を捧げ、力の及ぶかぎりプラダクシナー（右繞）を行った。

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable) — 'having heard'

• nalaḥ: Nala
• nalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• vīndra: O best of heroes (Vīndra)
• vīndra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīndra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन-शब्द (address)

• putrī-vākyam: the daughter's words
• putrī-vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putrī (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (putryāḥ vākyam)

• su-nirmalam: very pure
• su-nirmalam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + nirmala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय (su-nirmalam = very pure)

• namaskāram: salutation
• namaskāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namaskāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

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

• kṛtavān: did/performed
• kṛtavān: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्यय (Perfect participle/कृतवत्), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे—'having done/did' (finite sense)

• yathā-śaktyā: according to (his) ability
• yathā-śaktyā: Kāla/Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; अर्थः—'according to ability'

• pradakṣiṇam: circumambulation
• pradakṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

Speaker

Narrator (Purana narration; address to Garuda as 'Vīndra')

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śuddha-vākya (pure counsel) should be honored through embodied respect—namaskāra and pradakṣiṇā—according to one’s capacity.

Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa leading to anuṣṭhāna (practice); humility as a purifier of ego, enabling receptivity to higher truth.

Application: When receiving good counsel (spiritual/ethical), respond with respectful conduct and implement it within one’s means (yathāśakti).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): honoring dharmic instruction; reverence to devotees and sacred speech

Characters & Entities

• Nala
• Garuda (Vīndra)
• Putrī (maiden)

FAQs

What is the importance of namaskara and pradakshina in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents them as outward signs of inner dharma—honoring purity of speech and virtue through respectful salutation and circumambulation.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana’s broader moral instruction?

It emphasizes that listening to wholesome, pure counsel should be followed by humility and reverence—conduct that supports merit (punya) and right living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Receive good advice with humility, express gratitude respectfully, and practice reverence in daily life—within your capacity (yathāśaktyā), without pretension.