Shloka 28

Kāraṇānvēṣaṇam: The 32 Marks of Hari, Defects (Doṣas), Death-Omens, and Hari’s Omnipresence in Social & Household Life

Devanagari script

गङ्गा द्वादशभिर्युक्ता बुध एकादशैर्युतः / शनिस्तु दशसंख्याकैः पुष्करो नवभिर्युतः

Transliteration

gaṅgā dvādaśabhiryuktā budha ekādaśairyutaḥ / śanistu daśasaṃkhyākaiḥ puṣkaro navabhiryutaḥ

Translation

पवित्र गंगा बारांनी युक्त; बुध अकरांनी; शनि दहाच्या संख्येने; आणि पुष्कर नऊनी युक्त आहे।

Word by Word

• gaṅgā: Gaṅgā
• gaṅgā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• dvādaśabhiḥ: with twelve (marks)
• dvādaśabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘twelve’

• yuktā: endowed
• yuktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु) → yukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (PPP/क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• budhaḥ: Budha (Mercury)
• budhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• ekādaśaiḥ: with eleven (marks)
• ekādaśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘eleven’

• yutaḥ: endowed
• yutaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु) → yuta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (PPP/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• śaniḥ: Śani (Saturn)
• śaniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śani (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• daśa-saṃkhyākaiḥ: with ten in number (marks)
• daśa-saṃkhyākaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkhyāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; विशेषण—‘numbered as ten’

• puṣkaraḥ: Puṣkara (name)
• puṣkaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• navabhiḥ: with nine (marks)
• navabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: navan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; संख्या—‘nine’

• yutaḥ: endowed
• yutaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु) → yuta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (PPP/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred geography and graha-devatā correspondences are ordered and measurable; tīrtha and cosmic time (grahas) are integrated in dharmic life.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual purity and cosmic order (ṛta/niyati) as supports for sattva and inward clarity.

Application: Align pilgrimage/ritual observances with disciplined attention to traditional correspondences; treat tīrtha-sevā and graha-śānti as means to cultivate steadiness and ethical living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river; tīrtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.22.25-27,29 (same enumerative sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Budha (Mercury)
• Shani (Saturn)
• Pushkara Tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of sacred numbers (like 12, 11, 10, 9) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a traditional mapping of specific counts to revered entities (Gaṅgā, Budha, Śani, Puṣkara), indicating that ritual merit and observances are often prescribed with definite numerical measures.

How does this verse relate to the path of the soul and post-death rites?

In the Preta Kanda context, such associations support the broader teaching that purification and merit—often performed through tīrtha-related acts and correctly measured rites—aid the departed and the family in reducing obstacles in the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha, dāna, japa, or tīrtha-related observances, follow traditional counts and procedures carefully, treating sacred places and disciplined practice as aids to purification and ethical living.