Shloka 5

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

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

अश्विभार्या उषा देवी भर्तृभिः सहिता खग / ब्रह्मलोकं ययुस्तत्र ब्रह्माणं ददृशुस्तदा

Transliteration

aśvibhāryā uṣā devī bhartṛbhiḥ sahitā khaga / brahmalokaṃ yayustatra brahmāṇaṃ dadṛśustadā

Translation

ഹേ ഖഗ (ഗരുഡാ), അശ്വിനികളുടെ ഭാര്യ ഉഷാദേവി ഭർത്താക്കന്മാരോടൊപ്പം ബ്രഹ്മലോകത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി; അവിടെ അന്നേ സമയം ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെ ദർശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अश्वि-भार्या: wife of the Aśvins
• अश्वि-भार्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—अश्विनोः भार्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उषा: Uṣā
• उषा: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भर्तृभिः: with (their) husbands
• भर्तृभिः: Karana/Sahacarya (करण/सहचर्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सहिता: accompanied
• सहिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (कृदन्त; √सह्/सह् + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• खग: O bird
• खग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-लोकम्: Brahma-loka
• ब्रह्म-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Approaching higher realms requires decorum; proximity to power tests humility and restraint.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-vṛtti and ahaṅkāra: subtle pride can arise even amid sattvic attainments.

Application: When entering prestigious spaces (courts, institutions, sacred settings), maintain modesty and self-restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: loka (celestial realm)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17.6-7 (display of vilāsa and ensuing curse)

Characters & Entities

• Usha
• Ashvins
• Brahmaloka
• Brahma
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of Brahmaloka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Brahmaloka as a distinct divine realm where Brahmā is directly encountered, emphasizing the Purāṇic hierarchy of lokas and access to higher cosmic domains.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it points to the idea of graded destinations (lokas). While not describing death rites here, it supports the Garuda Purana theme that beings reach specific realms according to divine association and merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattvic conduct and devotion that align one’s life with higher aims; the verse encourages remembering that spiritual progress is framed as movement toward higher states of being and clearer vision of the divine.