Mahabharata 1.33.12 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 33, Shloka 12

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 33: Vāsuki’s Council on Averting the Sarpa-satra

Devanagari script

विष्णुना च तदाकाशे वैनतेय: समेयिवान्‌ । तस्य नारायणस्तुष्टस्तेनालौल्येन कर्मणा

Transliteration

viṣṇunā ca tadākāśe vainateyaḥ sameyivān | tasya nārāyaṇas tuṣṭas tenāloulyena karmaṇā ||

Translation

Di angkasa itu juga, Vainateya (Garuḍa) bertemu Viṣṇu. Nārāyaṇa amat berkenan kepadanya, kerana perbuatannya ditandai keberanian yang bebas daripada ketamakan—menunjukkan bahawa kekuatan memperoleh nilai moral apabila tidak digerakkan oleh nafsu diri.

Word by Word

• विष्णुना: with Vishnu
• विष्णुना: Saha (co-agent/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तत्: in that
• तत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वैनतेयः: Vainateya (Garuda)
• वैनतेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समेयिवान्: met / came together (with)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-इ (समेति)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्तवतु (perfect participle, periphrastic), Parasmaipada (participial usage)

• तस्य: of him (of Garuda)
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• नारायणः: Narayana (Vishnu)
• नारायणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तुष्टः: pleased / satisfied
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• तेन: by that / by him; by that (act/quality)
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अलौल्येन: by absence of greed (non-covetousness)
• अलौल्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलौल्यम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्मणा: by (his) deed/act
• कर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• विष्णु (Viṣṇu)
• नारायण (Nārāyaṇa)
• वैनतेय / गरुड (Vainateya / Garuḍa)
• विनता (Vinatā)
• आकाश (the sky)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that power and heroic action become ethically praiseworthy when they are free from greed (aloulya). Divine favor is linked not merely to capability, but to inner motive—selfless courage aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

While moving through the sky, Garuḍa (son of Vinatā) meets Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa. Viṣṇu is pleased with Garuḍa because his extraordinary deed is characterized by non-greed and unselfish valor.