Shloka 3

Mahābhārata-saṅkṣepa and Avatāra-kāraṇa

Brahmā’s Synopsis of the Epic and the Logic of Divine Descents

Devanagari script

तस्यायुस्तत्र वंशे ऽभूद्ययातिर्भरतः कुरुः / शन्तनुस्तस्य वंशे ऽभूद्गङ्गायां शन्तनोः सुतः

Transliteration

tasyāyustatra vaṃśe 'bhūdyayātirbharataḥ kuruḥ / śantanustasya vaṃśe 'bhūdgaṅgāyāṃ śantanoḥ sutaḥ

Translation

ໃນວົງສານັ້ນ ເກີດ ອາຍຸ; ຕໍ່ມາ (ເກີດ) ຢະຢາຕິ, ພະຣະຕະ, ແລະ ກຸຣຸ. ໃນວົງສາດຽວກັນນັ້ນ ເກີດ ຊັນຕະນຸ; ແລະຜ່ານ ຄົງຄາ (ຄັງຄາ) ຊັນຕະນຸ ມີບຸດຊາຍຜູ້ໜຶ່ງ.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आयुः: Āyu (name)
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वंशे: in the lineage
• वंशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभूत्: was born/arose
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ययातिः: Yayāti
• ययातिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भरतः: Bharata
• भरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरुः: Kuru
• कुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शन्तनुः: Śantanu
• शन्तनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शन्तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वंशे: in the lineage
• वंशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभूत्: was born/arose
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गङ्गायाम्: in/through Gaṅgā
• गङ्गायाम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शन्तनोः: of Śantanu
• शन्तनोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शन्तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lineage (vaṃśa) as carrier of dharma and responsibility; sacred geography (Gaṅgā) sanctifies pivotal transitions in itihāsa.

Vedantic Theme: Interweaving of daiva (destiny) and pauruṣa (human agency) within the manifest order; dharma transmitted through time.

Application: Honor ancestors and sources (teachers, family lines, cultural memory) while acting responsibly so one’s ‘lineage’—biological or ethical—remains dharmic.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred river and dynastic region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.145.2 (preceding lineage); Garuda Purana 1.145.1 (Bhārata narrative frame)

Characters & Entities

• Āyu
• Yayāti
• Bharata
• Kuru
• Śantanu
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the importance of dynasty genealogy in the Garuda Purana?

This verse situates major dharma-figures (Yayāti, Bharata, Kuru, Śantanu) within a remembered lineage, reinforcing that moral and ritual traditions are transmitted through established royal lines.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it provides genealogical context that links later dharma teachings to authoritative ancestral lineages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to preserve family history and ethical inheritance—maintaining dharma through generations by learning, teaching, and practicing righteous conduct.