Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

दशाधिकं पावकाच्च समन्तात्परिवारितम् / चतुर्थावरणं ज्ञेयं नभसोपि महाप्रभो

Transliteration

daśādhikaṃ pāvakācca samantātparivāritam / caturthāvaraṇaṃ jñeyaṃ nabhasopi mahāprabho

Translation

അതിന് അപ്പുറം, ദശാധിക വ്യാപ്തിയുള്ള അഗ്നിയാൽ എല്ലാടവും ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; ഹേ മഹാപ്രഭോ, ഇതിനെ ആകാശത്തിന്റെയും ചതുര്ഥ ആവരണമെന്നു അറിയുക.

Word by Word

• दश-अधिकम्: ten more / tenfold greater
• दश-अधिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa + adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); संख्या-तत्पुरुष (daśabhir adhikam = ten more)

• पावकात्: than fire/from fire
• पावकात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• परिवारितम्: surrounded/encircled
• परिवारितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• चतुर्थ-आवरणम्: the fourth covering
• चतुर्थ-आवरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturtha + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय (caturtham āvaraṇam)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (कृत्: यत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• नभसा: by/with the sky (ether)
• नभसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nabhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), inclusion/emphasis

• महाप्रभो: O great lord
• महाप्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahāprabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय (mahān prabhuḥ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Elemental layers (bhūta-āvaraṇas) form successive boundaries; ‘sky’ (nabhas) is also conceived as enclosed within higher principles.

Vedantic Theme: Hierarchy of tattvas: gross elements are contained within subtler principles; encourages discrimination from bhūta to sūkṣma.

Application: Meditate on ‘fire’ as the transformative boundary: observe how desire/anger ‘burn’ and practice cooling through breath and discernment, moving attention from gross sensations to subtler awareness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic enclosure/loka-āvaraṇa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.10.8 (water enclosure); Garuda Purana 3.10.10-12 (ahaṅkāra, mahat, triguna coverings)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Akasha (Nabhas)
• Agni (Pavaka)

FAQs

What is the importance of the 'fourth āvaraṇa' in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies a specific cosmic enclosure: a fire-layer that forms the fourth covering, indicating the Purana’s structured model of successive elemental boundaries around space.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it sets the cosmological framework—describing layered enclosures of the worlds—within which later teachings about post-death routes and realms are situated.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages a contemplative view of the universe’s ordered structure, supporting disciplined living (dharma) and humility by recognizing one’s life within a vast cosmic hierarchy.