Shloka 27

Kāraṇānvēṣaṇam: The 32 Marks of Hari, Defects (Doṣas), Death-Omens, and Hari’s Omnipresence in Social & Household Life

Devanagari script

वैवस्वतः षोडशभिमित्रः पञ्चदशैर्युतः / चत्रुर्विंशैस्तु धनपः पावकस्तु त्रयोदशैः

Transliteration

vaivasvataḥ ṣoḍaśabhimitraḥ pañcadaśairyutaḥ / catrurviṃśaistu dhanapaḥ pāvakastu trayodaśaiḥ

Translation

വൈവസ്വതൻ (യമൻ) പതിനാറുമായി; മിത്രൻ പതിനഞ്ചുമായി യുക്തൻ; ധനപൻ (കുബേരൻ) ഇരുപത്തിനാലുമായി; പാവകൻ (അഗ്നി) പതിമൂന്നുമായി യുക്തൻ।

Word by Word

• vaivasvataḥ: Vaivasvata (Yama/son of Vivasvat)
• vaivasvataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaivasvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• ṣoḍaśabhiḥ: with sixteen (marks)
• ṣoḍaśabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣoḍaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘sixteen’

• mitraḥ: Mitra
• mitraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• pañcadaśaiḥ: with fifteen (marks)
• pañcadaśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcadaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘fifteen’

• yutaḥ: endowed
• yutaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु) → yuta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (PPP/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• catur-viṃśaiḥ: with twenty-four (marks)
• catur-viṃśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदik) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘twenty-four’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• dhanapaḥ: Dhanapa (Kubera)
• dhanapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• pāvakaḥ: Pāvaka (Fire)
• pāvakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• trayodaśaiḥ: with thirteen (marks)
• trayodaśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trayodaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘thirteen’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic functions are distributed in measured portions; knowing the ‘portion-count’ is a way of grasping the structured universe.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha through niyati: differentiated powers operate within a single ordered reality.

Application: Use such correspondences as mnemonic anchors in study of purāṇic cosmology/ritual symbolism; cultivate respect for precision in transmitted lists.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.22.25-26 (same list structure); Garuda Purana 3.22.28-29 (continuation)

Characters & Entities

• Yama (Vaivasvata)
• Mitra
• Kubera (Dhanapa)
• Agni (Pāvaka)

FAQs

What is the importance of listing these numbers in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a catalog of the divine administrators connected with post-death order, indicating that Yama’s realm operates with organized groups and delegated attendants.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

By naming Yama (Vaivasvata) and other deities with their accompanying retinues, the text frames the after-death journey as governed by cosmic law (dharma) and supervised by specific divine authorities.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat actions as accountable within a moral order: live by dharma, perform appropriate śrāddha/ancestral rites when relevant, and cultivate ethical discipline knowing the tradition describes a structured system of post-death judgment.