Shloka 9

Budhāṣṭamī / Mahārudra Vrata: Procedure, Mantra, and the Story of Kauśika and Vijayā

Devanagari script

पुरे पाटलिपुत्राख्ये वीरो नाम द्विजोत्तमः / रम्भा भार्या तस्य चासीत्कौशिकः पुत्र उत्तमः

Transliteration

pure pāṭaliputrākhye vīro nāma dvijottamaḥ / rambhā bhāryā tasya cāsītkauśikaḥ putra uttamaḥ

Translation

പാടലിപുത്രം എന്ന നഗരത്തിൽ വീരൻ എന്നൊരു ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അവന്റെ ഭാര്യ രംഭ; അവന്റെ ഉത്തമപുത്രൻ കൗശികൻ.

Word by Word

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• पाटलिपुत्र-आख्ये: named Pāṭaliputra
• पाटलिपुत्र-आख्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाटलिपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पाटलिपुत्र इति आख्यं यस्य/नाम यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुरे विशेषणम्

• वीरः: Vīra (a man named Vīra)
• वीरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositive marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः अव्ययत्वेन प्रसिद्धः; नामनिर्देशे (as a name)

• द्विज-उत्तमः: an excellent Brahmin
• द्विज-उत्तमः: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (उत्तमः द्विजः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वीरः इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• रम्भा: Rambhā
• रम्भा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रम्भा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; रम्भा इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; स्वामिसम्बन्ध

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; "was"

• कौशिकः: Kauśika
• कौशिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कौशिकः इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• उत्तमः: excellent
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुत्रः विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Exemplary narratives anchor dharma in lived household contexts (gṛhastha-āśrama).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as preparatory order sustaining social and spiritual life.

Application: Model virtue within family life; treat household roles as arenas for dharmic choice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.132.9-11 (kathā-nidāna: characters and setting)

Characters & Entities

• Pāṭaliputra
• Vīra
• Rambhā
• Kauśika

FAQs

What is the importance of introducing Vīra, Rambhā, and Kauśika in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets the narrative frame by naming the principal household through which the Purana will illustrate dharma, karmic outcomes, and related teachings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s journey directly; it establishes the human setting (place, family, social status) that typically precedes teachings on karma, death, and post-death consequences in the surrounding narrative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat scripture’s moral and ritual teachings as grounded in lived life—family duties, ethical conduct, and responsibility—since karmic instruction is often conveyed through relatable stories.