Shloka 51

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

शचीं भर्यां देवराजस्य विद्धि तस्या ह्यवतारं शृणु सम्यक् खगेन्द्र / रामावतारे नाम तारा बभूव सा वालिपत्नी शचीसजका च

Transliteration

śacīṃ bharyāṃ devarājasya viddhi tasyā hyavatāraṃ śṛṇu samyak khagendra / rāmāvatāre nāma tārā babhūva sā vālipatnī śacīsajakā ca

Translation

शची ही देवराज इंद्राची पत्नी आहे, असे जाण. हे खगेन्द्र गरुडा, तिचा अवतार नीट ऐक—रामावतारात ती ‘तारा’ नावाने वानरराज वालीची पत्नी झाली, शची-संबंधातून उत्पन्नही झाली.

Word by Word

• śacīm: Śacī
• śacīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śacī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• bharyām: wife
• bharyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; in apposition to śacīm

• deva-rājasya: of the king of gods (Indra)
• deva-rājasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: devānāṃ rājā (king of gods)

• viddhi: know (you should know)
• viddhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; √vid (to know)

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (pronoun)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (emphasis/indeed)

• avatāram: incarnation, descent
• avatāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; √śru (to hear)

• samyak: properly, well
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (properly, completely)

• khagendra: O lord of birds (Garuḍa)
• khagendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: khagānām indraḥ (lord of birds)

• rāma-avatāre: in the incarnation as Rāma
• rāma-avatāre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th case), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: rāmasya avatāraḥ (Rāma-incarnation)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle indicating name/indeed

• tārā: Tārā
• tārā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; √bhū (to become)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (pronoun)

• vāli-patnī: Vāli's wife
• vāli-patnī: Predicate-noun (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālin (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: vāleḥ patnī (wife of Vāli)

• śacī-sajakā: connected with Śacī (Śacī-born/Śacī-related)
• śacī-sajakā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śacī (प्रातिपदिक) + sajaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: śacyāḥ sajaka (born from/related to Śacī; epithet)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devatā-avatāra/āveśa continuity: the same spiritual principle manifests across yugas and narratives.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa bheda with underlying continuity; recognition (pratyabhijñā) of one principle through changing forms.

Application: Cultivate discernment that roles and identities shift while dharmic patterns persist; read itihāsa as moral-cosmic instruction, not mere story.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: vanara-kingdom/forest realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28 (avatāra/strī-janma identifications in surrounding verses)

Characters & Entities

• Śacī
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Garuḍa (Khagendra)
• Rāma
• Tārā
• Vāli

FAQs

What is the importance of avatāra-identifications like Śacī becoming Tārā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses avatāra-correspondence to connect Purāṇic deities with Itihāsa characters, helping readers interpret the Ramayana as part of a continuous sacred history.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching style?

It shows the text’s dialogic method—Vishnu instructing Garuda—by giving concise identifications and lineage-style notes to anchor spiritual narratives across yugas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to read epics and Purāṇas as interconnected teachings—cultivating reverence, ethical reflection, and consistency in dharmic living across contexts.