Shloka 20

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

दशवर्षं तपः कर्तुं विवेश लवणांभसि / अतो रुद्रस्तपः संज्ञामवाप च खगोत्तम

Transliteration

daśavarṣaṃ tapaḥ kartuṃ viveśa lavaṇāṃbhasi / ato rudrastapaḥ saṃjñāmavāpa ca khagottama

Translation

ଦଶବର୍ଷ ତପ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ସେ ଲବଣଜଳରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କଲେ; ତେଣୁ, ହେ ଖଗୋତ୍ତମ ଗରୁଡ, ରୁଦ୍ର ‘ତପଃ’ ନାମକ ସଂଜ୍ଞା ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• daśa-varṣam: ten years (for a period of ten years)
• daśa-varṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (दश वर्षम् = ten years)

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• kartum: to perform
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Infinitive), कर्तुम् = to do

• viveśa: entered
• viveśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-viś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• lavaṇa-ambhasi: in the salty water (sea)
• lavaṇa-ambhasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lavaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (लवणम् अम्भः = salty water)

• ataḥ: therefore, from that
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारण/परिणामार्थक अव्यय (therefore/from that)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• tapaḥ: (named) 'Tapaḥ'
• tapaḥ: Visheshya (विशेष्य/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; (संज्ञा-रूपेण)

• saṃjñām: designation, name
• saṃjñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• avāpa: obtained, attained
• avāpa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• khaga-uttama: O best of birds
• khaga-uttama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (खगानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tapas as transformative discipline: sustained austerity yields spiritual potency and recognized status (nāma/saṃjñā).

Vedantic Theme: Citta-śuddhi through tapas; disciplined action as a preparatory means toward higher realization.

Application: Adopt consistent, time-bound disciplines (vrata, japa, fasting, service) with steadiness; measure progress by inner purification rather than display.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ocean

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: valorization of tapas and disciplined practice as means to purification (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of tapas (austerity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights tapas as a defining spiritual force—so potent that it becomes a name/epithet for Rudra, indicating that disciplined austerity is revered as a source of divine attainment.

How does this verse explain the path of spiritual attainment?

It presents a model of attainment through sustained discipline: entering the salt waters and practicing austerity for ten years culminates in recognition and transformation of status—symbolized by Rudra receiving a tapas-associated designation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt steady, time-bound discipline (tapas) such as daily japa, fasting, or ethical restraint; the verse emphasizes consistency over time as the key to inner strength and spiritual identity.