Shloka 15

Sup–Tiṅ Foundations: Prātipadika, Vibhaktis/Kārakas, and Lakāras

Tense–Mood System

Devanagari script

स्वामीश्वराधिपतिभिः साक्षिदायादप्रसूतैः / निर्धारणे द्वे विभक्तो षष्ठी हेतुप्रयोगके

Transliteration

svāmīśvarādhipatibhiḥ sākṣidāyādaprasūtaiḥ / nirdhāraṇe dve vibhakto ṣaṣṭhī hetuprayogake

Translation

‘സ്വാമി’, ‘ഈശ്വര’, ‘അധിപതി’, ‘സാക്ഷി’, ‘ദായാദ’ (വാരിസ്), ‘പ്രസൂത’ (ജനിച്ചവൻ) തുടങ്ങിയ പദങ്ങളോടൊപ്പം ഷഷ്ഠീ വിഭക്തി പ്രയോഗിക്കുന്നു. നിർധാരണത്തിൽ (തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ്/നിശ്ചയം) രണ്ട് രീതികൾ അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നു; കാരണത്തെ (ഹേതു) സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്ന പ്രയോഗത്തിലും ഷഷ്ഠീ വിധിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• स्वामीश्वराधिपतिभिः: by/with masters, lords, and rulers
• स्वामीश्वराधिपतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् + ईश्वर + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक; स्वामिन्-ईश्वर-अधिपति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (svāmī ca īśvaraś ca adhipatiś ca)

• साक्षिदायादप्रसूतैः: by/with witnesses, heirs, and the childless
• साक्षिदायादप्रसूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् + दायाद + प्रसूत (प्रातिपदिक; साक्षिन्-दायाद-अप्रसूत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; ‘अप्रसूत’ = नञ्-तत्पुरुष (not born/without offspring)

• निर्धारणे: in specification/selection (nirdhāraṇa)
• निर्धारणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (सङ्ख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन — Nominative dual; संख्याविशेषण

• विभक्तौ: two case-endings (cases)
• विभक्तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन — Nominative dual; (पाठभेदः: ‘विभक्तो’ इति लिखितं, अर्थतः ‘विभक्तौ/विभक्त्यौ’ = two cases)

• षष्ठी: the genitive (sixth case)
• षष्ठी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular; विभक्तिनाम (6th case)

• हेतुप्रयोगके: in causal usage (use expressing cause)
• हेतुप्रयोगके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु-प्रयोगक (प्रातिपदिक; हेतु + प्रयोगक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (hetos prayogaḥ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in an instructional discourse to Garuda, within a didactic/technical passage)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive) expresses relations of lordship/ownership/authority and certain relational nouns (svāmī, īśvara, adhipati, sākṣin, dāyāda, prasūta); it also appears in determination/selection (nirdhāraṇa) with two constructions and in causal usage (hetu-prayoga).

Vedantic Theme: Sambandha-bodha (cognition of relation) as a foundational cognitive operation; clarity about ‘whose/which/why’ prevents interpretive error.

Application: When parsing Sanskrit, treat genitive not only as possession but also as selection (‘of these, X’) and cause (‘because of’), especially around authority/kinship/legal terms like witness and heir.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.205.14–15: ṣaṣṭhī alternations and governance; part of the same grammatical compendium

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the ṣaṣṭhī (genitive) case in this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse functions as a rule: it teaches that the genitive is appropriately used with relationship-terms like master, lord, witness, heir, and offspring, and it also appears in determination (selection) and causal expressions—helping readers parse meaning correctly.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it provides grammatical guidance so that doctrinal verses elsewhere (about karma, preta-state, rites, etc.) are interpreted precisely without misunderstanding relationships, agency, or causation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When chanting or studying Garuda Purana, use this rule to read relationships and causes accurately (e.g., “of the lord,” “of the heir,” “because of X”), improving both comprehension and correct ritual/ethical interpretation.