Shloka 75

Devanagari script

उदानस्य पतिः श्रेष्ठः समानस्य पतिस्तथा / शब्दस्य च पतिः श्रेष्ठः स्पर्शस्य पतिरेव च

Transliteration

udānasya patiḥ śreṣṭhaḥ samānasya patistathā / śabdasya ca patiḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sparśasya patireva ca

Translation

Penguasa udāna ialah yang paling unggul; demikian juga ada penguasa samāna. Penguasa bunyi (śabda) juga maha utama, dan begitu pula penguasa sentuhan (sparśa).

Word by Word

• उदानस्य: of udāna (upward breath)
• उदानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रेष्ठः: excellent/supreme
• श्रेष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• समानस्य: of samāna (equalizing breath)
• समानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/so too
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• शब्दस्य: of sound
• शब्दस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

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

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रेष्ठः: supreme
• श्रेष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्पर्शस्य: of touch
• स्पर्शस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord presides over udāna and samāna, and over sensory modalities (śabda, sparśa), implying a unified controller behind prāṇa and indriyas.

Vedantic Theme: Paramātman as the substratum and regulator of prāṇa-indriya-vṛttis; movement from multiplicity to unity.

Application: In meditation, observe sound and touch sensations as ‘fields’ under Īśvara’s order; cultivate non-reactivity and steadiness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: subtle physiology (nāḍī-prāṇa) and sensory field

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.15.74 (prāṇa/apāna/vyāna); Garuda Purana 1.15.76 (rūpa and iconographic attributes)

FAQs

What is the importance of presiding deities (adhipati/adhidevata) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that prāṇas (like Udāna and Samāna) and senses (like sound and touch) function under higher governing principles, teaching that the subtle body is an ordered system rather than random physiology.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By pointing to Udāna and other subtle forces, it implies that the soul’s experience and movement depend on prāṇa and sense-functions within the subtle body—key mechanisms discussed in Garuda Purana teachings on post-death transitions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate restraint of the senses and regulate the breath (prāṇa) through disciplined living and prayer/meditation, since clearer prāṇa–sense governance supports steadier mind and dharmic conduct.