Shloka 95
Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa
On the Causes/Means of Knowledge
केशीदैत्यसमो ज्ञेयस्तृणावर्तो महासुरः / तस्माद्दशगुणैर्हीनो हंसो नामरमापते
keśīdaityasamo jñeyastṛṇāvarto mahāsuraḥ / tasmāddaśaguṇairhīno haṃso nāmaramāpate
ಹೇ ರಮಾಪತೇ (ವಿಷ್ಣೋ)! ಮಹಾಸುರ ತೃಣಾವರ್ತನು ಕೇಶೀ ದೈತ್ಯನಿಗೆ ಸಮನೆಂದು ತಿಳಿ; ಅವನಿಗಿಂತ ದಶಗುಣ ಹೀನನು ‘ಹಂಸ’ ಎಂಬವನು.
Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Rama-pati)
Concept: Even formidable evil is ultimately graded and overcome under the Lord’s sovereignty; remembrance of the Lord (Ramāpati) frames the discourse.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sarva-śaktimattva: all relative powers are subordinate to the Supreme; fear dissolves in God-centered vision.
Application: When facing ‘big’ obstacles, anchor in devotion and perspective: compare challenges against the steadiness of practice rather than magnifying them.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: region
Related Themes: Garuda Purana invocations addressing Viṣṇu as Ramāpati; sections emphasizing Viṣṇu’s supremacy over asuras
FAQs
The verse functions as a taxonomy: it ranks named Asuras by relative measure (guṇa), helping the text map cosmic beings and their gradations rather than presenting a ritual rule.
Indirectly: by cataloging powerful non-human beings, it frames the broader cosmology within which afterlife narratives (Yama’s realm, punishments, and karmic outcomes) are later understood.
Use it as a reminder that the Purana often teaches through ordered classification—encouraging discernment, study of sources, and humility about spiritual claims of “power” or status.