Ajāna Lineages, Divine Classes, Ṛṣi Catalogues, and the Merit of Śravaṇa-Smaraṇa
उतथ्यश्च मुनिश्चैतान्द्राजपित्वा खगेश्वर / ऋषयश्च महात्मानो ह्यजानजसमाः स्मृताः
utathyaśca muniścaitāndrājapitvā khageśvara / ṛṣayaśca mahātmāno hyajānajasamāḥ smṛtāḥ
Wahai Raja segala burung, resi Utathya, setelah menyampaikan hal-hal dan garis keturunan ini dengan sewajarnya, dikenang dalam kalangan para ṛṣi yang berjiwa agung (mahātmā) sebagai yang setara dengan Ajanaja, para leluhur yang mula-mula.
Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)
Concept: Paramparā and authoritative remembrance (smṛti) of great seers as equal to primordial sources; knowledge validated through lineage and realization.
Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-pramāṇa and guru-paramparā as supports for brahma-jñāna; mahātma-lakṣaṇa (great-souled qualities) as marker of realization.
Application: Honor authentic lineages of learning; verify teachings through consistent tradition and lived virtue; cultivate humility as a listener (śrotṛ-bhāva).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana didactic dialogues (speaker addressing Garuda) and lists of ṛṣis/mahātmans
This verse anchors authority in the tradition of great seers, presenting them as comparable to the earliest progenitors, thereby validating the teachings being transmitted to Garuda.
Vishnu addresses Garuda directly (“Khageśvara”) while describing the stature of sages like Utathya, continuing a narrative that grounds later doctrinal teachings in venerable rishi authority.
Treat scriptural learning as a disciplined lineage: study from reliable sources, honor teachers, and apply teachings with humility—qualities associated with “mahātmā” seers.