Shloka 5

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

तदूर्ध्वमण्ववयवस्तावान्कनकरूपकः / वर्तते तत ऊर्ध्वं तु पञ्चाशत्कोटिभूतलम्

Transliteration

tadūrdhvamaṇvavayavastāvānkanakarūpakaḥ / vartate tata ūrdhvaṃ tu pañcāśatkoṭibhūtalam

Translation

അതിന്റെ മുകളിലേക്ക് അതേ അളവിൽ സൂക്ഷ്മ അണുഭാഗങ്ങളാൽ നിർമ്മിതമായ സ്വർണരൂപ പ്രദേശം വ്യാപിക്കുന്നു. അതിനുമുകളിലായി വീണ്ടും അമ്പത് കോടി അളവുള്ള ഭൂതലം നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्: from that
• तत्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards/above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अणु-अवयवः: the part of an atom
• अणु-अवयवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇu + avayava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्धः (aṇoḥ avayavaḥ)

• तावान्: so much/that large
• तावान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pramāṇa-vācaka (परिमाणवाचक)

• कनक-रूपकः: a golden form/figure
• कनक-रूपकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanaka + rūpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kanakasya rūpakaḥ)

• वर्तते: exists/extends
• वर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• ततः: thereafter/from there
• ततः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• पञ्चाशत्-कोटि-भूतलम्: a ground/extent of fifty crores
• पञ्चाशत्-कोटि-भूतलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcāśat + koṭi + bhūtala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); संख्या-सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (pañcāśat-koṭīnāṃ bhūtalam)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reality is presented as graded layers from subtle to gross; ‘golden form’ signals luminous intermediary realms between subtle principles and earthly plane.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma–sthūla gradation within māyā; the cosmos as ordered manifestation supporting embodied experience and karmic action.

Application: Contemplate subtle-to-gross layering to refine perception: cultivate sattva (clarity) and reduce fixation on only the gross/material.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic strata

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana descriptions of lokas and cosmic layers contiguous with āvaraṇa teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'golden' region (kanaka-rūpaka) in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses a 'golden-formed' region to map layered cosmic structure—subtle strata above one level and a broader earth-plane above—helping the listener visualize graded realms of existence.

How does this verse explain the structure of worlds (lokas) in Garuda Purana?

It presents a vertical layering: above a prior level lies a subtle, minute-constituent region of comparable extent, and above that a vast bhūtalam quantified as fifty crores, indicating cosmographic measurement and hierarchy.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat the Purana’s cosmology as a reminder of scale and order: live with humility, align actions with dharma, and use sacred study to orient the mind beyond purely material concerns.