Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीणां कुचोदैश्च कचोदकैश्चकक्षोदकैर् गात्रजलैर्मुकुन्द / अनर्पितैर्वस्त्रगन्धादिकैश्च दृष्टो मया केन पुण्येन देव

Transliteration

strīṇāṃ kucodaiśca kacodakaiścakakṣodakair gātrajalairmukunda / anarpitairvastragandhādikaiśca dṛṣṭo mayā kena puṇyena deva

Translation

ହେ ମୁକୁନ୍ଦ! ନାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ଶରୀରର ଝାଳ, କେଶ ଜଳ ଏବଂ ଅର୍ପଣ କରାଯାଇ ନଥିବା ବସ୍ତ୍ର ଓ ଗନ୍ଧ ଦ୍ୱାରା ମଳିନ ହୋଇ ମଧ୍ୟ, କେଉଁ ପୁଣ୍ୟ ବଳରେ ମୁଁ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଦର୍ଶନ ପାଇଲି?

Word by Word

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, षष्ठी (6th case, genitive)

• कुच-उदैः: with water (from) breasts
• कुच-उदैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुच (प्रातिपदिक) + उद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (instrumental); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘कुचानाम् उदकानि’ = water from breasts

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कच-उदकैः: with water (from) hair
• कच-उदकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कच (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘कचानाम् उदकानि’ = water from hair

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• कक्ष-उदकैः: with armpit-water
• कक्ष-उदकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘कक्षाणाम् उदकानि’ = water from armpits

• गात्र-जलैः: with body-water
• गात्र-जलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘गात्रस्य जलम्’ = water from the body

• मुकुन्द: O Mukunda
• मुकुन्द: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (vocative)

• अनर्पितैः: with (things) not offered (to you)
• अनर्पितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्- + अर्पित (कृदन्त; √अर्प् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) with privative prefix ‘an-’ = not offered

• वस्त्र-गन्ध-आदिकैः: with clothes, perfumes, etc.
• वस्त्र-गन्ध-आदिकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया; समाहार-द्वन्द्व ‘clothes, perfumes, etc.’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• दृष्टः: (you) were seen
• दृष्टः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ‘(त्वं) दृष्टः’ = ‘you were seen’

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental)

• केन: by what
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental interrogative)

• पुण्येन: merit
• पुण्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental)

• देव: O God
• देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (vocative)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Mukunda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darshana of Vishnu is granted by grace; sense-enjoyments not first offered (anarpita) are spiritually tainting and become obstacles to purity of devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Shuddhi (inner purity) as a support for bhakti; recognition of doership/merit as secondary to Bhagavat-kripa.

Application: Practice offering (arpana) before enjoyment; cultivate humility and confession (ātma-nivedana) as part of devotional life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (3.18) themes of nirmalya, anarpita-bhoga, and sense-purification through Vishnu-bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Mukunda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of purity and “unoffered” enjoyments in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames certain enjoyments—especially those taken without rightful offering (anarpita)—as spiritually contaminating, and highlights that divine vision (Vishnu-darshana) is attained by merit rather than indulgence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana’s afterlife teaching?

By emphasizing moral/ritual taint and the need for punya, the verse supports the broader Preta-kanda theme that one’s post-death condition and protection depend on ethical restraint, purity, and devotion rather than sense-driven living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice restraint and cleanliness, avoid taking or using things without rightful offering or permission, and cultivate devotion—treating daily enjoyments as accountable actions tied to karma.