Shloka 1

Devanagari script

पञ्चमो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / उत्तानपादादभवत्सुरुच्यामुत्तमः सुतः / सुनीत्यां तु ध्रुवः पुत्रः स लेभे स्थानमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

pañcamo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / uttānapādādabhavatsurucyāmuttamaḥ sutaḥ / sunītyāṃ tu dhruvaḥ putraḥ sa lebhe sthānamuttamam

Translation

Hari bersabda: Daripada Uttānapāda, melalui Surucī, lahirlah seorang putera bernama Uttama; dan melalui Sunīti lahirlah Dhruva—dialah yang memperoleh kedudukan paling luhur.

Word by Word

• पञ्चमः: fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• उत्तानपादात्: from Uttānapāda
• उत्तानपादात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तानपाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अभवत्: was born/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुरुच्याम्: in Surucī
• सुरुच्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• उत्तमः: Uttama
• उत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुनीत्याम्: in Sunīti
• सुनीत्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तु: but, and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• ध्रुवः: Dhruva
• ध्रुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लेभे: obtained
• लेभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• स्थानम्: place, position
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma-anvaya (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Steadfast devotion and divine favor elevate the devotee to an imperishable station; birth circumstances do not limit spiritual attainment.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha (grace) and niṣṭhā (one-pointedness) lead to a stable spiritual ‘state’; the fruit of bhakti surpasses ordinary karmic rewards.

Application: Cultivate consistent daily devotion and moral steadiness; let setbacks become fuel for focused practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm / loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.5.38 (Dhruva lineage referenced in Dakṣa’s curse); Garuda Purana Dhruva narrative continuation (subsequent verses/chapters in this section)

Characters & Entities

• Uttanapada
• Suruci
• Uttama
• Suniti
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the importance of Dhruva’s ‘supreme station’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Dhruva as the exemplar of attaining an unsurpassed divine status (often understood as Dhruva-loka) through steadfast spiritual pursuit.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By presenting Dhruva’s attainment of the ‘highest station,’ it frames liberation/exalted destiny as achievable through dharma and devotion, contrasting ordinary birth with extraordinary spiritual attainment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steadiness (dhruvatā)—consistent practice, ethical living, and focused devotion—since lasting spiritual results come from unwavering commitment.