Shloka 41

Vīrya, Māyā/Prakṛti, Śrī’s Inseparability, Paramāṇu, and Hari’s Infinitude

Devanagari script

गरुड उवाच / हे कृष्ण हे माधव सात्त्वतां पते पदार्थानां चरमांशः पराणु

Transliteration

garuḍa uvāca / he kṛṣṇa he mādhava sāttvatāṃ pate padārthānāṃ caramāṃśaḥ parāṇu

Translation

ഗരുഡൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ കൃഷ്ണാ, ഹേ മാധവാ, സാത്ത്വതങ്ങളുടെ പതി! പദാർത്ഥങ്ങളുടെ ചരമാംശമായ ആ പരാണു/പരമാണു എന്താണ്? എനിക്കു പറയുക।

Word by Word

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• कृष्ण: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• माधव: Mādhava
• माधव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• सात्त्वताम्: of the Sāttvatas
• सात्त्वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्त्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पते: O lord
• पते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पदार्थानाम्: of entities/things
• पदार्थानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; पद+अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• चरमांशः: the final part
• चरमांशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरमांश (प्रातिपदिक; चरम+अंश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पराणुः: the supreme atom
• पराणुः: Samānādhikaraṇa/Predicate (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराणु (प्रातिपदिक; पर+अणु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuḍa (Vinātā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Inquiry into the ‘caramāṃśa’—the final fraction/ultimate constituent (paramāṇu) of all entities.

Vedantic Theme: Jijñāsā as the doorway to tattva; knowledge pursued under the shelter of Bhagavān (bhakti-supported inquiry).

Application: Frame technical inquiry with humility and devotion; ask precise questions that target first principles rather than surface details.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.3.39-40 (definitions leading to the question); Garuda Purana 3.3.43 (Kṛṣṇa’s response about limits of perception)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Madhava
• Sattvatas
• Paramanu

FAQs

What is the importance of paramāṇu in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces paramāṇu as the ultimate smallest unit of existence, framing a metaphysical inquiry into how the material world is constituted at its most subtle level.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda–Vishnu dialogue tradition?

Garuḍa directly addresses Kṛṣṇa/Mādhava (Vishnu) as teacher and asks a technical question, signaling a shift from devotion into philosophical exposition typical of Purāṇic instruction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Contemplating the “smallest unit” encourages humility and discernment—seeing that even vast experiences are composed of subtle causes—supporting mindful, dharmic living and study.