Shloka 40

Hari-stuti by Śrī, Brahmā, Vāyu, Sarasvatī, Śeṣa, Garuḍa, Rudra, Vāruṇī and Pārvatī

Humility, Surrender, and the Power of the Name

Devanagari script

अशक्तवद्दृश्यते वायुदेवः युगानुसारांल्लोकधर्मांस्तु रक्षन् / नरावतारे तत्र देवे मुरारे ह्यशक्तता नेति विचं तनीयम्

Transliteration

aśaktavaddṛśyate vāyudevaḥ yugānusārāṃllokadharmāṃstu rakṣan / narāvatāre tatra deve murāre hyaśaktatā neti vicaṃ tanīyam

Translation

യുഗാനുസാരമായി ലോകധർമ്മം കാത്തുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ വായുദേവൻ അശക്തനെന്നപോലെ തോന്നാം. എന്നാൽ മുരാരി (ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണു) സ്വയം നരാവതാരമായി അവതരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ യാതൊരു അശക്തതയും ഇല്ലെന്ന് മനസ്സിലാക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अशक्तवत्: as if powerless
• अशक्तवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शक्त-वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग (indeclinable-like adjectival in -वत्), उपमानार्थ (as if)

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• वायुदेवः: Vāyu-deva
• वायुदेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय (वायुः एव देवः)

• युगानुसारान्: according to the ages
• युगानुसारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युग-अनुसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष (युगानुसारः)

• लोकधर्मान्: worldly duties/laws
• लोकधर्मान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य धर्माः)

• तु: indeed/however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण (adversative/emphatic particle)

• रक्षन्: protecting
• रक्षन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• नरावतारे: in the human incarnation
• नरावतारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष (नरस्य अवतारः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• देवे: in the god / in the Lord
• देवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• मुरारे: in Murāri (Viṣṇu)
• मुरारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुर-अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष (मुरस्य अरिः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/निश्चय (causal/emphatic particle)

• अशक्तता: powerlessness
• अशक्तता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-शक्त-ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यादि (quotative particle)

• विचम्: as a thought/consideration
• विचम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विच् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप; अर्थतः ‘विचारम्/विचिन्तनम्’ इत्यर्थे (rare form; taken as adverbial/indeclinable)

• तनीयम्: should be maintained/extended
• तनीयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तन् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विधेय (should be extended/maintained)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Murari) instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Apparent limitation in divine agents (like Vāyu) is strategic for protecting loka-dharma; the Lord’s avatāra may look humanly constrained, but is not truly weak.

Vedantic Theme: Līlā and māyā: the Lord assumes forms without losing omnipotence; dharma-saṃsthāpana as avatāra’s purpose.

Application: Do not mistake humility, restraint, or strategic patience for incapacity—especially in leaders/guardians of dharma; cultivate discernment (viveka) and faith in righteous process.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): yuga-dharma considerations; divine protection of order

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Vishnu (Murari)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of yuga-dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that cosmic order (lokadharma) is preserved according to the conditions of each yuga; even divine beings may appear constrained while upholding that age-appropriate dharma.

How does this verse explain why a deity may appear powerless?

It states that Vāyu may be perceived as ‘as if powerless’ while protecting worldly dharma, but such limitation is only an appearance—especially regarding Viṣṇu’s incarnations, where true weakness does not exist.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not judge spiritual authority or dharma by outward appearances; focus on sustaining righteous conduct appropriate to one’s time and duty, trusting that higher order may work subtly rather than dramatically.