Shloka 1

Paramparā (Transmission), Rudra’s Viṣṇu-Dhyāna, and the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s Origin-Impulse

Devanagari script

नाम प्रथमो ऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः / कथं व्यासेन कथितं पुराणं गारुडं तव / एतत्सर्वं समाख्याहि परं विष्णुकथाश्रयम्

Transliteration

nāma prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṛṣaya ūcuḥ / kathaṃ vyāsena kathitaṃ purāṇaṃ gāruḍaṃ tava / etatsarvaṃ samākhyāhi paraṃ viṣṇukathāśrayam

Translation

ഋഷിമാർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ സൂതാ! വ്യാസൻ നിനക്കു ഗാരുഡപുരാണം എങ്ങനെ ഉപദേശിച്ചു? വിഷ്ണുകഥാശ്രയമായ ഈ പരമശാസ്ത്രം മുഴുവനും ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് വിശദീകരിക്കൂ।

Word by Word

• nāma: (called)
• nāma: Sambandha (Context/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अध्याय-शीर्षक-सूचक (title marker)

• prathamaḥ: first
• prathamaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• ṛṣayaḥ: sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• vyāsena: by Vyāsa
• vyāsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन (Singular)

• kathitam: told, narrated
• kathitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kathita (कृदन्त; √kath/कथ्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.); एकवचन (Singular)

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular)

• gāruḍam: Gāruḍa (pertaining to Garuḍa)
• gāruḍam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gāruḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); पुराणस्य विशेषणम्

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular)

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); एतत्-विशेषणम्

• samākhyāhi: tell, explain
• samākhyāhi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√khyā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• param: supreme, highest
• param: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); विष्णुकथाश्रयम्-विशेषणम्

• viṣṇu-kathā-āśrayam: that which is based on Viṣṇu’s stories
• viṣṇu-kathā-āśrayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (viṣṇoḥ kathāyāḥ āśrayaḥ = ‘having as basis the कथा of Viṣṇu’)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purana as the supreme teaching grounded in Vishnu-katha; the proper approach is humble inquiry (pariprashna) before transmission.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-pradhanya (the Supreme Lord as the foundation of knowledge) and shravana as a means toward purification and right understanding.

Application: Cultivate reverent questioning and regular listening/reading of Vishnu-katha in satsanga; treat scripture as a lived practice, not mere information.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Purvakhanda) opening dialogue: rishi-prashna and suta-vakya frame; Recurring Garuda Purana emphasis on Vishnu-nama and Vishnu-katha as purifier (later adhyayas)

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Viṣṇu
• Garuḍa

FAQs

What is the importance of Viṣṇu-kathā in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse frames the Garuḍa Purāṇa as “viṣṇu-kathā-āśraya”—a Purāṇa rooted in Lord Viṣṇu’s sacred narrative, indicating its teachings are anchored in devotion and divine doctrine.

How does this verse set up the dialogue structure of the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

The sages ask how Vyāsa narrated the Garuḍa Purāṇa “to you,” pointing to a transmission lineage and a question–answer format that culminates in the principal Vishnu–Garuḍa discourse.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach the text through sincere inquiry and attentive listening, treating its teachings as guidance for dharma and devotion rather than mere information.