Shloka 18

Śravaṇa-Mahātmya: The Śravaṇas, Cosmic Testimony, and the Paths of the Puruṣārthas

Devanagari script

अपरः काममार्गश्च मोक्षमार्गश्चतुर्थकः / उत्तमा धममार्गेण वैनतेय प्रयान्ति हि

Transliteration

aparaḥ kāmamārgaśca mokṣamārgaścaturthakaḥ / uttamā dhamamārgeṇa vainateya prayānti hi

Translation

മറ്റൊന്ന് കാമമാർഗ്ഗം; നാലാമത് മോക്ഷമാർഗ്ഗം. എന്നാൽ ഹേ വൈനതേയ, ഉത്തമർ നിശ്ചയമായും ധർമ്മമാർഗ്ഗത്തിലൂടെയേ മുന്നേറുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अपरः: another; the other
• अपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., nominative sg., adjective)

• काममार्गः: path of desire
• काममार्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kāmasya mārgaḥ) (masc., nominative sg.)

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

• मोक्षमार्गः: path of liberation
• मोक्षमार्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (mokṣasya mārgaḥ) (masc., nominative sg.)

• चतुर्थकः: as the fourth
• चतुर्थकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., nominative sg., adjective)

• उत्तमाः: the best (persons)
• उत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (masc., nominative pl., adjective)

• धर्ममार्गेण: by the path of dharma
• धर्ममार्गेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dharmasya mārgaḥ) (instrumental sg.)

• वैनतेय: O Vainateya (Garuda)
• वैनतेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (vocative sg.)

• प्रयान्ति: go forth; proceed
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (present, 3rd pl.)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Among the life-paths, dharma is upheld as the श्रेष्ठमार्ग guiding the noble, even while kāma and mokṣa are acknowledged as distinct pursuits.

Vedantic Theme: Puruṣārtha-viveka; dharma as the harmonizing regulator that purifies and prepares for mokṣa.

Application: Prioritize righteous conduct and duty as the baseline for choices; let desire be dharma-governed and let liberation-seeking be grounded in ethical life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: puruṣārtha discussions across Dharma-kāṇḍa and Preta-kalpa framing of right conduct affecting post-mortem trajectory

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Vainateya)
• Dharma
• Kama
• Moksha

FAQs

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

This verse states that among the available paths, the ‘uttamāḥ’ (noble) are those who proceed by dharma—implying dharma is the reliable, elevating route that supports auspicious destiny and spiritual progress.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By distinguishing desire-driven pursuit (kāma) from liberation-oriented pursuit (mokṣa) and affirming dharma as the conduct of the noble, it frames the soul’s outcomes as shaped by chosen orientation—ethical duty versus craving versus liberation-seeking.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize dharmic choices—truthfulness, restraint, responsibility, and compassionate action—so that pleasure-seeking does not dominate life, and spiritual aims (including moksha) remain supported by right conduct.