Shloka 70

Gradations of Bliss and Knowledge; Lakṣmī’s Special Insight; The Rarity of Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Nīlā’s Vow and Śrīnivāsa Darśana

Devanagari script

कल्पवाहः स विज्ञेयः पितॄणां प्रथमः स्मृतः / तस्य गत्वा गृहमहं वृषभाचलवासिनः / शिवस्य वरतश्चैव त्वजेयः खगसत्तम

Transliteration

kalpavāhaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ pitṝṇāṃ prathamaḥ smṛtaḥ / tasya gatvā gṛhamahaṃ vṛṣabhācalavāsinaḥ / śivasya varataścaiva tvajeyaḥ khagasattama

Translation

त्याला ‘कल्पवाह’ असे जाणावे—तो पितरांमध्ये प्रथम स्मरणात आहे। त्याच्या गृही जाऊन, मी वृषभाचलवासी, शिवाच्या वराने त्याज्य नाही, हे खगसत्तम।

Word by Word

• kalpa-vāhaḥ: Kalpavāha
• kalpa-vāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; proper name/title

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vijñeyaḥ: is to be known
• vijñeyaḥ: Vidheyārtha (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/अनीयर् sense), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘should be known’

• pitṝṇām: of the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• prathamaḥ: the first
• prathamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective to saḥ/kalpavāhaḥ

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘is remembered/considered’

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having gone’

• gṛham: to the house
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vṛṣabha-acala-vāsinaḥ: of the one dwelling on Vṛṣabhācala
• vṛṣabha-acala-vāsinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + acala (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठī), Singular; ‘of the dweller of Vṛṣabhācala’ (epithet)

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• varataḥ: from a boon
• varataḥ: Apādāna/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; ‘from a boon’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण अव्यय)

• tvajeyaḥ: Tvajeya (name)
• tvajeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvajeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; proper name (as read)

• khaga-sattama: O best of birds
• khaga-sattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; address ‘best of birds’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-pradhānatā (primacy of ancestors) and the sanctity of their abode; divine boon (Śiva-varatā) safeguards a vow/relationship, implying dharmic fidelity across realms.

Vedantic Theme: Interweaving of daiva (divine dispensation) and karma; honoring Pitṛs as part of ṛṇa-traya (debts) within worldly order.

Application: Perform ancestral duties with steadiness; keep vows and commitments; approach sacred places with humility and remembrance of lineage.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred mountain; ancestral abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Pitṛ-loka and śrāddha-phala discussions (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Shiva
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of Kalpavāha among the Pitṛs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Kalpavāha as the foremost among the Pitṛs, implying a ranked ancestral order and highlighting the significance of recognizing principal ancestral authorities in Pitṛ-related teachings and rites.

How does this verse connect the narrative to sacred realms and divine authority?

It links the Pitṛ abode (ancestral realm) with the speaker’s association with Vṛṣabhācala and Śiva’s boon, showing that the teaching is grounded in recognized sacred geography and validated by divine grace.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain reverence for ancestors through śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and ethical living, remembering that honoring Pitṛs is treated as a serious, structured duty within the Purāṇic tradition.