Shloka 44

Devanagari script

प्राणाख्याः शतसंख्यास्तु देवतानां गणस्तदा / तेषामिन्द्रश्च भविता शान्तिर्नाम महाबलः / बलिः शत्रुस्तं हरिश्च गदया घातयिष्यति

Transliteration

prāṇākhyāḥ śatasaṃkhyāstu devatānāṃ gaṇastadā / teṣāmindraśca bhavitā śāntirnāma mahābalaḥ / baliḥ śatrustaṃ hariśca gadayā ghātayiṣyati

Translation

ಆಗ ‘ಪ್ರಾಣ’ ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರಿನ ನೂರು ಸಂಖ್ಯೆಯ ದೇವಗಣ ಉಂಟಾಗುವುದು. ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಶಾಂತಿ’ ಎಂಬ ಮಹಾಬಲವಂತನು ಇಂದ್ರತ್ವವನ್ನು (ನಾಯಕತ್ವವನ್ನು) ಪಡೆಯುವನು. ಬಲಿ ಅವನ ಶತ್ರು; ಹರಿಯು ಗದೆಯಿಂದ ಅವನನ್ನು ಸಂಹರಿಸುವನು।

Word by Word

• प्राणाख्याः: named ‘Prāṇa’
• प्राणाख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणाख्य (प्रातिपदिक) = प्राण + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘आख्या’ से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्राण-नामकाः)

• शतसंख्याः: numbering a hundred
• शतसंख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतसंख्या (प्रातिपदिक) = शत + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (hundred in number)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• देवतानाम्: of the deities
• देवतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• गणः: group
• गणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time adverb/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• भविता: will be
• भविता: Kriya (Predicative/भवति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; लृट्-अर्थे ‘भवितृ’ (future participle/agent noun) प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; ‘will be’ अर्थे

• शान्तिः: Śānti (name)
• शान्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Name-marker (नाम-निर्देशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘by name’)

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• बलिः: Bali (name)
• बलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शत्रुः: enemy
• शत्रुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सर्वनाम

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• गदया: with a mace
• गदया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• घातयिष्यति: will strike/kill
• घातयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घातय् (धातु; √हन् causative)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

Speaker

Likely Lord Viṣṇu speaking to Garuḍa (Vinātā-putra), consistent with the Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue frame

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari as the ultimate protector who restores dharmic balance by subduing hostile forces; leadership is contingent and upheld by the Supreme.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as niyantā (governor) of devas and asura opposition; preservation (sthiti) function of Viṣṇu.

Application: In crises, anchor action in dharma and devotion: seek clarity, act decisively against harm, and remember power is accountable to higher order.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: celestial court/assembly

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.87.43 (preceding sages); Garuda Purana 1.87.45 (next genealogy shift)

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇas (deity-group)
• Indra (as title of leader)
• Śānti
• Bali
• Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the importance of the ‘Prāṇas’ mentioned in this Garuḍa Purāṇa verse?

This verse presents the Prāṇas as a distinct divine host (a deva-gaṇa) and highlights their organized hierarchy, implying that life-breath principles are treated as powerful, personified cosmic forces.

How does this verse explain leadership among divine groups (the meaning of ‘Indra’ here)?

‘Indra’ functions as a title for the chief of a group, not only the well-known Vedic Indra; Śānti is said to become the Indra (leader) of the Prāṇas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seeing prāṇa (vital energy) as something to be governed by ‘śānti’ (inner peace and discipline), suggesting that calm leadership over one’s life-force supports steadiness in conduct and spiritual practice.