Shloka 1

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / हरेः श्रुत्वाब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा यथा व्यासाय शौनक / ब्राह्मणादिसमाचारं सर्वदं ते तथा वदे

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / hareḥ śrutvābravīdbrahmā yathā vyāsāya śaunaka / brāhmaṇādisamācāraṃ sarvadaṃ te tathā vade

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ശൗനകാ! ഹരിയുടെ ഉപദേശം ശ്രവിച്ച ശേഷം ബ്രഹ്മാവ് വ്യാസനോട് എങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു തന്നുവോ, അതുപോലെ ഞാൻ നിനക്ക് ബ്രാഹ്മണാദികളുടെ ആചാര-വിധികളെ, സർവ്വഫലദായകമായവയെ, പ്രസ്താവിക്കും।

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having heard'

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/just as)

• व्यासाय: to Vyāsa
• व्यासाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणादिसमाचारम्: the proper conduct of brāhmaṇas and others
• ब्राह्मणादिसमाचारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + आदि + समाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मणादीनां समाचारः)

• सर्वदम्: all-giving/beneficial in every way
• सर्वदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वं ददाति इति/that which gives all); विशेषणम्

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; सर्वनाम (your)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in that manner)

• वदे: I speak/I will tell
• वदे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Suta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ācāra as ‘sarvada’ (bestowing all benefits); legitimacy through divine-to-sage transmission.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-prāmāṇya and guru-paramparā; dharma as supportive of purification leading toward bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Treat daily conduct (ācāra) as a primary sādhana: learn duties appropriate to one’s station, adopt consistent observances, and seek instruction from authentic lineages/texts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: transitions into brāhmaṇādi-samācāra (conduct codes) sections; Garuda Purana: repeated framing of teachings as received from Hari and transmitted by sages

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahma
• Vyasa
• Shaunaka
• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the importance of brāhmaṇādisamācāra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the chapter as a dharma-teaching on proper conduct and observances starting with brāhmaṇas, presented as universally beneficial (sarva-da).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it introduces dharmic conduct as the foundation that supports auspicious outcomes; in Garuda Purana’s broader narrative, right conduct and rites shape one’s post-death journey and merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat ethical discipline and correct ritual practice as a daily framework—learning from reliable lineage-based teachings—so actions become ‘sarva-da’, beneficial for oneself and society.