Shloka 2

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

कारणं ब्रूहि मे ब्रह्मन् शिष्याय तव सुव्रत / गरुडेनैवमुक्तस्तमुवाच मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

kāraṇaṃ brūhi me brahman śiṣyāya tava suvrata / garuḍenaivamuktastamuvāca madhusūdanaḥ

Translation

ഹേ ബ്രഹ്മൻ! ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ ശിഷ്യനാണ്, ഹേ സുവ്രതാ; അതിന്റെ കാരണം എനിക്ക് പറയുക. ഗരുഡൻ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ മധുസൂദനൻ (ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണു) അവനോട് പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• कारणम्: the reason/cause
• कारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me / my
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (genitive/dative enclitic)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• शिष्याय: for (your) disciple
• शिष्याय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• सुव्रत: O one of good vows
• सुव्रत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• गरुडेन: by Garuḍa
• गरुडेन: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• उक्तः: having been spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त/कृत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (‘having been addressed/said to’)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Garuda’s question and Vishnu’s reply)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper inquiry (praśna) and disciple-attitude (śiṣya-bhāva) are prerequisites for receiving causal explanations (kāraṇa) of subtle doctrines.

Vedantic Theme: Guru–śiṣya paramparā; knowledge arises through śravaṇa grounded in humility and vow/discipline (vrata).

Application: Ask precise questions of competent teachers; adopt intellectual humility; prepare the mind through discipline before seeking esoteric explanations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17.3 (the teacher’s response begins)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Madhusudana (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of the guru–śiṣya framing in the Garuda Purana?

This verse establishes Garuḍa as the sincere disciple and Viṣṇu as the authoritative teacher, signaling that the upcoming teaching on after-death matters is meant to be received with discipline and trust.

How does this verse connect to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

It serves as a transition: Garuḍa requests the ‘reason/cause,’ and Viṣṇu begins the explanatory discourse that typically unfolds into causes, processes, and remedies related to the preta state and rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach teachings on karma, death rites, and dharma with a learner’s humility—asking clear questions and seeking qualified guidance before adopting ritual or ethical practices.