Shloka 25

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

स एवेन्द्रावतारोभूद्धरिसेवार्थमेव च / विशेषेण हरिं कुक्षौ विज्ञानाच्च हरिः सदा

Transliteration

sa evendrāvatārobhūddharisevārthameva ca / viśeṣeṇa hariṃ kukṣau vijñānācca hariḥ sadā

Translation

അവൻ ഇന്ദ്രാവതാരമായി, ഹരിസേവയ്ക്കായി മാത്രമേ അവതരിച്ചുള്ളൂ. പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ഗർഭത്തിലേ തന്നെ അന്തര്യാമിയായ ഹരിയെ അറിഞ്ഞ്, സത്യജ്ഞാനത്തോടെ സദാ ഹരിയിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• इन्द्र-अवतारः: Indra-incarnation
• इन्द्र-अवतारः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'इन्द्रस्य अवतारः'

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• हरि-सेवा-अर्थम्: for the purpose of serving Hari
• हरि-सेवा-अर्थम्: Hetu/Purpose (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजनार्थ): 'हरिसेवार्थम्' = 'हरिं सेवितुम् अर्थम्/प्रयोजनम्'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Karana (करण/Instrument; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial instrumental)

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुक्षौ: in the womb/belly
• कुक्षौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विज्ञानात्: from/because of knowledge
• विज्ञानात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (काल/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avatāra/empowered descent serves Hari; true devotion is stabilized by vijñāna (realized knowledge) of Hari as indwelling Lord (antaryāmin).

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin-brahman and jñāna-bhakti unity: knowledge (vijñāna) matures into unwavering devotion; īśvara as inner witness and sustainer.

Application: Cultivate sevā (service) with inner remembrance: daily japa, meditation on Hari in the heart, and aligning actions to devotion; study to convert belief into realized conviction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred space (garbha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Viṣṇu-bhakti as a liberating force (theme-level); Garuda Purana: teachings that remembrance of Hari at critical times grants uplift (theme-level)

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of serving Hari (Vishnu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames service to Hari as the central motive behind divine manifestation, presenting bhakti (service) as purposeful and spiritually transformative when grounded in vijñāna (true realization).

How does this verse explain the role of spiritual knowledge (vijñāna)?

It links enduring devotion to Hari with inner realization—knowing Hari as present within (even described as ‘in the womb’), suggesting that stable dharma arises from insight, not mere ritual action.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Combine devotion with understanding: practice worship or service with study, reflection, and ethical conduct so that faith becomes steady through insight rather than occasional emotion.